EDITOR’S NOTE: Coverage of this week’s region tournament games can be found online at www.manchestertimes. com and in next week’s print edition.

After battling through the elimination bracket all the way to the final, Coffee County softball’s pursuit of a district tournament title came to an end Thursday evening.

Facing off against No. 1 seed Lincoln County in the Class 4A District 6 championship game, the Lady Raiders fell behind early on the way to a 7-2 loss in Fayetteville.

The Lady Falcons got it started in the bottom of the first inning with three runs, including a two-run home run for Brenna Edwards. Coffee County fell further behind in the bottom of the second inning, giving up three more runs to fall into a 6-0 hole heading into the third.

After giving up one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Lady Raider offense began to produce in the top of the seventh. Ella Arnold led off the inning with a line drive single, later coming home from second base on a Lily Norman line drive double.

On the next at-bat, Haleigh Skipper drove in Harlow Maychrzak from third on a ground out to shortstop to make it a 7-2 game. Coffee County was unable to cut back into it any further and went on to finish the game down by five.

Arnold and Norman each had one hit for the Lady Raiders for a team total of two. Norman and Skipper had one RBI each.

Skipper got it started in the circle, coming out in the bottom of the second inning with four hits, five runs and two walks. Kaylee Buckley took her place, coming out in the bottom of the fourth with five hits and two runs. Up next was Yeidy Cruz, who pitched into the bottom of the sixth inning and added three strikeouts, three hits and one walk. Briley Jernigan closed it out, adding one walk through the game’s remainder.

Lady Raiders walk off Warren in district semifinal

Coffee County opened its Thursday slate by getting its revenge against Warren County for last week’s district tournament-opening loss, breaking a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning to win 3-2 at Lincoln County.

In addition to giving the Lady Raiders a chance to play for a district title, the win over the Lady Pioneers also secured Coffee County a spot in the region tournament.

The Lady Raiders got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, starting when Norman connected on a line drive to left field that got Arnold home from second base. Up next at the plate was Skipper, who sent a line drive of her own to center and brought Norman’s courtesy runner Harper Jernigan home from second to make it a 2-0 game.

Warren County responded in the top of the third, with Lola Wells getting it started on a line drive to center field to bring Ruby Denning across the plate. Ceilee Gudat followed this up with a sacrifice fly to right field, bringing home Wells to tie the game at 2-2.

Still tied up in the bottom of the seventh, Cara Newlin came to the plate and singled on a pop fly to center field. After stealing second, Newlin advanced to third on a ground out from Arnold, putting the go-ahead run on third with two outs. Up next at the plate was Maggie Montgomery, who knocked a line drive to left field for a single and drove in Newlin for the game-winning run.

Coffee County finished the game with eight hits, led by Montgomery with three. Norman followed with two. Newlin, Arnold and Skipper each had one hit.

Montgomery, Norman and Skipper each had one RBI for a team total of three. Norman pitched a complete game, finishing with seven strikeouts, six hits, two runs and three walks across all seven innings.

Coffee County players receive all-district honors

Prior to the start of the district championship game between Coffee County and Lincoln County, the Class 4A District 6 All-District team was announced, as were other awards as well.

Representing the Lady Raiders on the All-District team were Arnold, Norman, Skipper and Bailey Hale. Newlin received an Honorable Mention nod.

Arnold was also named Defensive Outfielder of the Year.

CHS dominates Shelbyville

Coffee County kept moving in the right direction last Tuesday evening.

Hosting Shelbyville for another district tournament elimination game, the Lady Raiders jumped ahead early and cruised to an 11-1, five-inning victory to stay in the postseason race.

Norman got it started in the bottom of the first inning, bringing in a pair of runs on a pop out to left field for an RBI double. Not long after, Raelyn Wainwright brought Harper Jernigan, Norman’s courtesy runner, home from third base on a sacrifice fly to center.

The Lady Raiders continued to push ahead on the next at-bat, with Kamryn Hoback driving in Skipper from third on a line drive single. Hoback would later get back home on a line drive to left from Buckley, ultimately sending Coffee County into the second inning up 5-0.

The Lady Raiders continued to push ahead in the bottom of the second, starting with Arnold scoring on a bunt from Montgomery. Up next at the plate was Norman, who knocked the ball over the left field fence for a two-run home run.

Still up 8-0 heading into the bottom of the third, Coffee County would go on to add two more runs before Shelbyville got on the board in the top of the fourth. The Lady Raiders responded with one more run of their own in the bottom of the fifth before the game concluded.

Coffee County finished the game with 13 hits, led by Norman and Skipper with three each. Arnold followed with two. Montgomery, Wainwright, Hoback, Buckley and Taylor McBride each had one hit.

Norman brought in four of the team’s 10 RBI. Skipper added two. Montgomery, Wainwright, Hoback and Buckley had one RBI each.

Norman pitched the first three innings, striking out six and holding Shelbyville to one walk. Cruz took her place for the last two innings, adding three strikeouts, one run and one walk.

Lady Raiders pour it on Cookeville

Coffee County kept its season alive last Monday evening.

Taking on Cookeville in a district tournament elimination game, the Lady Raiders jumped ahead early on the way to a 16-1, three-inning victory. The final score mirrored a dominant showing from Coffee County in the two teams’ regular-season series, which the Lady Raiders won 15-0 in Cookeville on March 30 and 11-1 in Manchester on April 15.

After the Lady Cavs got on the board in the top of the first, Coffee County quickly tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning when Newlin scored on a Norman RBI single. Up next at the plate was Skipper, who doubled on a line drive and brought home Arnold, McBride and Norman in the process.

Still up 4-1 in the bottom of the second inning, Arnold came to the dish with Buckley on second base and Newlin on first. Arnold proceeded to knock a deep ball out to center field, bringing in Buckley and Newlin before scoring herself on the throw.

The Lady Raiders scored again not long after, this time on an RBI double from Skipper that got McBride home to make it an 8-1 game.

Coffee County continued its offensive onslaught as the inning continued, adding three more runs before Arnold came back to the plate with Newlin on first and Buckley on second. Arnold went on to send the ball sailing over the left field fence for a three-run home run to ultimately send the Lady Raiders into the third inning with a 14-1 lead.

After keeping Cookeville from adding any runs, Norman led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run. Later in the inning, Jernigan scored on a Hoback ground ball single, bringing the game to an end via slaughter rule.

Coffee County finished the game with 13 hits, led by Newlin and Arnold with three each. Skipper and Montgomery followed with two hits each. Norman, Hoback and Samantha Johnson each had one hit.

Arnold was credited with six of the team’s 16 RBI. Skipper added four. Up next were Newlin and Norman with two each. Hoback and Buckley each had one RBI.

Cruz took care of business in the circle, finishing with four strikeouts, two hits, one run and two walks across all three innings.