Tuesday afternoon held a pile of firsts for the Lady Tigers softball team as their third try at a home opener proved to be the charm in a crushing 23-0 district win over Cumberland Gap. Pigeon Forge twice had their attempts at the first game in their brand new Rotary Centennial Park rained away last week. Cumberland Gap was looking for rain with the Lady Tigers forming dark clouds early over any chance for the visitors to spoil the opener.
Jessica McCarter controlled the mound with a one-hit shut out over C-G. The freshman helped her own cause by going three of five at the plate to bring in rbi’s. The lead Lady Tiger in the batter’s box however, was freshman Sam Cole. Cole was a perfect five for five and cracked out the first double and triple in the park to put her name on some history.
McCarter brought Cole in from third to plate the first run of the game in the bottom of the opening inning. Mcarter then came across the plate herself on a hard ground ball hit from junior transfer April Haygood. The second inning explosion was led by two run singles from Jocelyn Price, Tara Cannon and Haley Johnson.
Meanwhile McCarter was well on her way to a great afternoon from the pitcher’s circle. Her only hit was surrender in the third inning. The frosh faced just 17 batters, two more than the minimum of 15 in the mercy kill, five inning win. Eight of those batters went on the young Lady Tiger’s scratched list as strike outs.
Lindsey Cornett joined in the hitting attack with a trifecta, going 3 for 3 with 3 rbi’s. Haygood came up away with a perfect on-base percentage, hitting safely three times and reaching twice on four ball counts while tacking on four rbi’s. Chelsea Oliver was four of five in the cause.
The Lady Tigers batted in just four innings, but pounded Cumberland Gap with 27 hits, before the mercy rule brought the early end to the district game. PF held a 12-0 lead after three innings and crushed all doubt about the quick end with a 12 run fourth inning. Pigeon Forge is off to its best start in program history. The win was the third straight of the young season, all of which have come against district foes.
“I’m pleased to be 3-0,” said Lady Tigers Coach Mike Pearson. “But we’ll find out Thursday where we’re really at when we go to Seymour.” Pearson took over the program last season and coached the team to its best finish yet with fourth place finishes in the district season and tournament. The coach has spent most of the off-season working with parents and players on building their new park that was christened with the opening win.

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