Eight members of the Warren County High School softball team are eagerly awaiting graduation, but the entire softball program is counting down the days until Lincoln County pitcher Tanner Sanders walks the stage.
Sanders threw a no-hitter against the Lady Pioneers Monday, ruining a home game in front of the student body at Warren County High School as the Lincoln County Lady Falcons won 9-0.
Warren County fell to 8-10 this season as the team lost its fourth straight game.
Sanders has been a thorn in the sides of the Lady Pioneers since her arrival at Lincoln County High School.
The Lady Falcons have dominated the series the past four years, but no win was more one-sided than the one Monday. Sanders was unhittable and nearly threw her third perfect game this season.
A fourth-inning walk drawn by Monica Lane was the only time the Lady Pioneers put a runner on base against the pitcher who will be heading to Lipscomb next year.
Though Sanders was good from start to finish, the Lady Pioneers kept even with the Lady Falcons through three innings thanks in large part to sophomore K.B. Cantrell.
Starting her second varsity game this season, Cantrell matched Sanders through three innings by shutting down the Lady Falcon bats.
Cantrell used her control and offspeed pitching to confuse Lincoln County, but a little aid from the sun gave the Lady Falcons a break in the fourth inning.
After allowing a lead-off single, followed by a sacrifice bunt, Lincoln County had a runner at second with one out.
The next batter hit a sky-high shot behind second base, where Lane dropped back to try to make the play. Lane lost the ball in the sun as it fell in between the second baseman and outfielders Peytan Hall and Chelsea Cope.
The error put runners on second and third and the Lady Falcons got an RBI groundout to finally break the scoreless streak.
A wild pitch to the next batter allowed another run to score, giving Lincoln County a 2-0 lead entering the bottom of the fourth.
It would be all Sanders would need, but the Lady Falcons made sure of the victory in the sixth inning.
Lincoln County scored seven runs in the sixth off Lane, who entered during a jam in the fifth and kept runs off the board.
The Lady Falcons were able to put together six hits sandwiched around a hit batter to plate seven runs.
Warren County went down in order in the final three innings as the Lady Pioneers were no-hit for the first time this season.
Cantrell took the loss, going four innings and allowing two runs on four hits. Lane pitched the final three innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits.
Warren County will try to end a four-game losing streak tonight when the Lady Pioneers play a make-up game in White County.
The Lady Pioneers will be trying to improve their 2-2 District 6-AAA record when the team takes on the Warriorettes at 5 p.m. tonight.
Warren County will continue its busy week tomorrow when the Lady Pioneers begin play in the Border Battle tournament held in Lincoln County.
Warren County will take on Marshall County at 4:30 p.m. and follow with a game against Huntland at 6:30 p.m.
Pool play will begin Friday and continue Saturday. A single-elimination tournament will begin Saturday afternoon.