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Lady Pioneers downed in district
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Emily Mikkola's two hits were not enough to get the Lady Pioneers a victory in Cookeville Thursday. Warren County fell 13-5 to its district rival.
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Elia Atterson, seen in a previous game, and the Lady Pioneers surrendered a season-high 13 runs in Thursday's loss in Cookeville.

If the Lady Pioneers are going to repeat as District 6AAA champions, they will have to do it from the No. 2 seed.

Warren County lost out on its chance to win the regular season Thursday, falling to Cookeville 13-5 on the road. It was team’s second loss to the Lady Cavaliers this season, the first coming April 2 when Cookeville rallied to take down the Lady Pioneers 8-7.

Coach Gooby Martin didn’t mince words after the loss, the team’s largest of the year.

“They outplayed us. We started out good, but I didn’t call a good game defensively,” said Martin, whose team had won eight of its last nine games before Thursday. “We had some breakdowns on defense in the fifth and sixth innings and Cookeville took advantage. They were the better team today.”

Warren County (14-8-1) held a 4-3 lead entering the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of a RBI single by Asthon Whiles and sac fly by Madison Hollis in the top of the inning. Everything came apart shortly after though.

Cookeville tied the game on back-to-back errors, then followed with two straight RBI singles to make it 6-4. Holly Smith added a two-out, two-run double to make it 8-4.

Bailey Turnbow’s two-run homer, her second of the game, highlighted a five-run sixth inning, when Cookeville took a commanding lead.

Warren County plated one run in the seventh, getting a two-out RBI single from Hollis, but a comeback wasn’t in the cards.

Hollis finished with two hits and three RBIs, including starting the scoring in the first with a single. Elia Atterson made it 2-0 early on a double to the center-field fence. Emily Mikkola and Rhealee Johnson also had two hits for the Lady Pioneers.

Turnbow turned the game in the fourth with a two-run blast to make it 3-2 in favor of the home team. She finished 3-for-4 with five RBIs to pace the Lady Cavalier offense.

Hollis took the loss for the Lady Pioneers, pitching five innings and giving up eight runs – only three were earned. Sadie Simmons pitched the sixth inning and surrendered five runs on six hits.

Warren County will try to get back on track Tuesday with a road game at Rhea County. Action is set to begin at 5 p.m.