Warren County’s Pioneers certainly tried their best to spoil Coffee County’s perfect district record Wednesday afternoon. But they came up short … barely.
Coffee County took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning of the District 6-4A championship in Manchester. That’s when Warren County got a double from Jessie Young, then with two outs Maggy Whiles gave an 0-2 pitch a ride to deep centerfield, where Coffee County’s Chesnie Cox gathered it in just as she got to the fence to end the threat and the game, giving Coffee County a district championship.
It was a tough night for the Lady Raider bats. CHS managed just 4 hits – all singles. The Lady Raiders pushed across an unearned run in the second inning after Paisley Campbell and later scored on a two-out throwing error. Then Channah Ganon singled in the fifth and pinch runner Riley Phillips scored on an RBI single by Willow Carden.
That was all the offense for the Lady Raiders, who struggled to square up Warren County’s Kora Forbes, who went 6 innings and didn’t walk or strike out a batter.
The Lady Pioneers loaded the bases with one out in the third inning and looked poised to tie the game or take the lead. But Alivia Reel snagged a ground ball with a backhand at second base and cut down the run at the plate, then Coffee County pitcher Kaitlyn Davis struck out the next batter.
Davis earned the win, going 7 strong innings and scattering 4 hits while striking out 6.
The win for Coffee County completes a perfect district season – not losing a single regular or postseason district contest. It was the fifth time they beat Warren County this year — the third time in 9 days.
ALL DISTRICT HONORS
Multiple Coffee County players received District 6-4A All-District Honors.
Kaitlyn Davis, Madison Pruitt, Chesnie Cox, Willow Carden, Paisley Campbell, Jalyn Moran, Savannah Cooper and Ella Arnold were named to the all-district team. Cox was named District Offensive Player of the Year, Carden was named District Defensive Player of the Year and Kaitlyn Davis was named District Pitcher of the Year and District MVP.
UP NEXT
Coffee County will host Walker Valley at 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 15 in the Region 3-4A semi-finals. That is an elimination game. If the Lady Raiders win, they will play in the region championship May 17 and the sectional May 19. A win in the sectional advances them to the TSSAA Spring Fling State Tournament.
pictured below: Chesnie Cox, right, and Channah Gannon (no. 32) celebrate after beating Warren County for a district championship Wednesday, May 10, 2023. – Photo by Holly Peterson, THUNDER RADIO WMSR
