The Macon County High School summer league team traveled to Franklin, Kentucky last week to participate in a wooden bat tournament. Hitting with a wooden bat is much different than metal, and the Tigers were about to find out just how different it is. The game was a bore the first two innings, as both team's pitchers looked dominating. Franklin Simpson would get something going in the third, as a leadoff walk would come back to haunt Macon County starter Dustin Mason. Followed by a groundout and a strikeout, leadoff batter Chase Leathers delivered a two-out double to score May and give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. That's how the score would remain until the bottom of the sixth, when the Wildcats would add two more runs thanks to a walk and two base hits to give themselves a 3-0 lead going into the final inning of action. The Tigers finally got the offense going in the seventh, as Kyle Deering led off with a triple and scored on hard hit ballby Maurice Harris that was mishandled. A walk and a single loaded up the bases for the Tigers with one out, but acritical base running error got the Wildcats out of the jam and gave them the win by a final score of 3-1. Dustin Mason pitched probably his best game of the summer. He allowed only four hits in six innings of action, while striking out three. TheTiger offense produced five hits, but could never string anything together. Mason was the leader at the plate going 2-3 on the day.

The loss was a heartbreaker for the Tigers, but they had to quickly regroup as they faced Ohio County, Kentucky in their next game. This was probably the most exciting game of the tournament, as both teams didn't seem to want to lose. The Tigers carried a 4-2 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning, but would surrender the tying runs thanks to an error, walk, and a double to send the game into extra innings. Neither team could score in the eighth, but the Tigers exploded for five ninth inning runs to give them a 9-4 lead. Five straight base hits contributed largely to the Tiger rally. Freshman ChrisKnight came on in the eighth and finished off the game in the ninth allowing only one run as the Tigers emerged victorious by a 9-5 final score. Kyle Deering pitched seven solid innings for the Tigers. However, Knight picked up the win due to getting the great run support in the ninth. The Tigers were led at the plate by Chad Watson who was 3-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Keith Kirby and Dustin Mason each deliveredtwo hits for the Tigers. This game movedthe Tigers into a rematch with Franklin Simpson.

The Tigers could win this game, and be looking at first place for the tournament. However, they would have to come from behind if that were to happen as the Wildcats jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead. The Tigers went quietly in the bottom of the first, and found themselves in a deeper hole after two innings as Franklin Simpson pushed six runs across the plate to extend their lead to 8-0. That would pretty much put the Tigers away, as the Wildcats would add two runs in the fourth to run rule the Tigers by a 10-0 final. Keith Kirby suffered the loss for the Tigers. He didn't pitch terrible, but the balls just seemed to find all the holes on this day. Matt Wilson and DalisHolliman also saw some action on the mound this game. The Tigers only hit of the game came off the bat of Chris Knight in the final inning of the game. This was a sub par tournament for the Tigers, but they have to quickly regroup as some tough teams will be in attendance for their upcoming tournament this weekend, including Franklin Simpson.