Caldwell County fell just short of an early-season upset against ninth-ranked Madisonville-North Hopkins and ending a lengthy losing streak to the Lady Maroons.
Caldwell led 2-0 after one inning and 3-2 through three innings, but the visiting Lady Maroons came back to capture a 7-6 victory on Tuesday at Lady Tiger Field in Princeton.
A pair of unearned runs helped Madisonville go in front 4-3 in the top of the fourth inning.
The Lady Maroons (3-0 overall, 1-0 district) added three more runs in the in the fifth with Lindsey Peyton driving home two of those with a single to center. That put the visitors up 7-3.
Caldwell (1-4, 0-1) countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to get close. Allie Felker knocked in one run with a single. The Lady Tigers then pulled off a double steal to score another run and make it 7-6.
But Caldwell had just one baserunner the rest of the way. The Lady Tigers had a chance to tie the game when Katie Franklin led off the bottom of the seventh with a deep fly ball to left. However, Kaydence Seargant made the catch near the fence and Caldwell went down in order in the final frame.
Courtney Patterson was the winning pitcher for Madisonville, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out 11 and walking two.
Lindsey Peyton was 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs for the Lady Maroons. Courtney Peyton and Gracie Arnold were each 2-for-4. Bailey Woodward slammed a two-run home run to left for Madisonville, which has won 26 straight games against the Lady Tigers.
Franklin suffered the loss in the circle for Caldwell. She gave up two earned runs on eight hits while fanning nine and walking two.
Franklin was 2-for-4 at the plate. Mashea Glover tripled and drove in a run while Madi Choate added a double and an RBI.
Both teams have district dates coming up on Thursday. The Lady Tigers will visit Dawson Springs while Madisonville hosts Hopkins County Central.
