Three runs in the seventh gives Sikeston walk-off win over East Carter

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston softball team made its comeback on Tuesday a dramatic one.

Down to its last out a looking up at a one-run deficit, sophomore Iraca Weakley poked a single over the infield sending both Ashton Drake and Megan Witt across the plate for a 5-4 win over East Carter County Tuesday at the Sikeston Sports Complex.

That was Weakley's only hit of the game and it came after the Bulldogs fell behind 4-0 the first two innings.

Sikeston's Kylie Noe slides into third base while East Carter's Shelby Cyr receives the throw Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, at the Sikeston Sports Complex. Noe was safe on the play. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

Sikeston's Kylie Noe slides into third base while East Carter's Shelby Cyr receives the throw Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, at the Sikeston Sports Complex. Noe was safe on the play. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

"There was no quit," Sikeston coach Laura Brown said. "I told them that it wasn't over. We could get three runs. We had the top of the lineup going and I knew we could get some baserunners on. We could do three runs."

Down 4-2 to start the bottom of the seventh, Katie Hampton beat out a throw for a one-out, infield single to put Sikeston (11-6) on the comeback trail. After Tyeshia Mitchell hit into a fielder's choice, Drake sent a single through the right side of the infield to put the speedy Mitchell in motion.

Relying on her speed and taking a risk with two outs, Mitchell charged towards third with the relay throw nearing the infield. The senior dodged Shelby Cyr's low tag at third base and slipped in safely behind the bag after initially sliding past it.

"I was determined to get there," Mitchell said. "I knew I had to do whatever to make it there."

Megan Witt, who finished with two hits, easily singled Mitchell in during the next at-bat to make it a one-run game. Witt advanced to second while East Carter tried forcing out Drake, who was headed to third, to put both runner's in scoring position for Weakley.

The sophomore lined the 0-1 fastball to centerfield, giving both Drake and Witt plenty of time to score before the relay made it home.

"She's going to hit and sprint every time," Brown said about Weakley. "If she could at least get it to the grass we could score those two runs and that's exactly what happened."

Sikeston's Tyeshia Mitchell slips past the tag of East Carter third baseman Shelby Cyr Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, at the Sikeston Sports Complex. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

Sikeston's Tyeshia Mitchell slips past the tag of East Carter third baseman Shelby Cyr Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2016, at the Sikeston Sports Complex. (Chris Pobst/Standard Democrat)

East Carter (11-6) scored one in the first and another three in the second take charge early. An RBI single from Mitchell in the bottom of the third inning cut the Redbirds' lead to 4-1. Mitchell, who was one of two seniors honored as part of Senior Day, belted a high fly ball that fell just shy of the centerfield wall for an inside the park home run in the sixth to make it 4-2 and set up Sikeston's rally in the seventh.

"They played lax all day," East Carter coach Teresa Kearbey said. "This is not the same team that beat Naylor last night. I don't know if they were tired or what. They didn't play like they normally have."

After the Redbirds put up four runs on six hits in the first two innings, Sikeston pitcher Kylie Noe clamped down. She allowed just one baserunner through the last five innings.

"We had to recover after the start we had," Brown said. "They did. They tightened it up and played like they can play. That was nice to see."

Sikeston will host Saxony Lutheran today in their final home game of the season.

East Carter 130 000 0 -- 4 7 1

Sikeston 001 001 3 -- 5 9 0

WP -- Kylie Noe. LP -- Andrea Kearbey. HR -- Tyeshia Mitchell (S). 2B -- Naomi Crowley (E) 2, Ashton Drake (S). Multiple hitters: East Carter -- Brooklyn Loftis 2-4, Crowley 2-4. Sikeston -- Katie Hampton 2-4, Mitchell 2-4, Drake 2-3, Megan Witt 2-3.