Red Bay catcher Jordyn McKinney tags a Hackleburg runner out at home plate. Photo by Keith Ledbetter.

By Keith Ledbetter

For the FCT

After taking a 4-1 lead over Hackleburg in the bottom of the first, the Red Bay Lady Tigers softball team found themselves playing catch up in a 20-14 loss to the Lady Panthers last Thursday.

Red Bay’s Morgan Pierce picked up an RBI that scored Kaitlyn Robbins to tie the game at one run each in the bottom of the first.

Sara Beth Elrod hit a three run RBI double to give the Lady Tigers a 4-1 lead going into the top of the second.

Hackleburg added two runs on an RBI to trail Red Bay by one in the early minutes of the second inning.

The Lady Panthers added three more runs to take a 7-4 lead going into the top of the third.

By the bottom of the fourth Hackleburg took a 16-4 lead over the Lady Tigers.

Red Bay scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut Hackleburgs’ lead to 16-8 on RBIs by Jada Faulkner, Sara Beth Elrod, and Kennadie Rooker.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Red Bay’s Emma Howard, and Jordyn McKinney singled and Morgan Pierce was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Lady Tigers.

Faulkner added one RBI and Elrod knocked in two to put Red Bay just four runs away from a tie game.

In the seventh, Hackleburg added three runs and Red Bay added two on a Pierce two run RBI.

Hackleburg’s Katie Holcomb was two for five with three runs and three RBIs, Mattie King was 0 for 2 with one run and one RBI, Sunni Hulsey went two for three with two runs and two RBIs, K. Camp-Kenny was one for two with one run, Lesly Corado was one for four with two runs, Kandis Parker was one for three with one run and two RBIs, Ashton Smith was one for five with two runs, M. Randolph was one for two, Summer George was one for three with one RBI, Anna Kelly had one hit, Bri Knowles had three hits, Kailee Colburn was two for five with two runs scored and two RBIs, K. Cleveland was three for three with two runs and three RBIs.