Dixie Darlings defeat Opp 17-13, claim sub-district championship

By Andy Simmons

LUVERNE – Troy’s Dixie Darling tournament team had to scratch and claw their way back from a six run deficit to beat Opp 17-13 and capture the sub-district crown on Tuesday.

“I am so excited for these girls,” said head coach Dixie Terry as she grinned from ear-to-ear. “They’ve worked so hard to get here.”

Battling back from a deficit was an unusual challenge for Terry’s team.

Troy started off the game strong with four of the first six batters able to hit three singles and a double to give them a 3-0 lead after the bottom of the first..

Opp would be quick to respond. Kelsi Cardwell nailed an inside the park homerun to help put Opp on the scoreboard.

Things would shortly get a little edgy for Troy, as Opp was able to string together a seven-run rally in the second inning that was capped off by an inside the park homerun by Faith Peters to put the score at 8-3.

The Darlings kept their heads held high though. After being down by as many as six in the fourth, Dixie Terry’s team was able to string together a nice set of base hits that began with an Addie Garrett single. Mckenzie Cain was able to bring her in with an RBI single.

After three more singles by Raylin Williams, Libby Barnes and Alyssa Terry and a double by Maggie English, Morgan Bundy hit her own inside the park homerun to cap off a seven run rally that gave Troy a one run lead going into the final inning.

Terry said the seven-run inning was crucial to the teams comeback.

“That and when our infielders got their heads on straight,” Terry said jokingly.

“I told them we had better step it up.”

For Troy, Morgan Bundy went 2 for 3 with her inside the park homerun, a single and two RBIs. Dannah Dawson was perfect on the day going 3 for 3 with two singles, a triple and two RBIs. Sadie Leverett was also 2 for 3 with a triple, a double and three RBI’s.

The Troy Dixie Darlings have little time to rest. They begin district play almost immediately. “We’ll have a light practice tomorrow and we play districts the next day.”