It was a crucial region matchup at Granger Park on Tuesday as the LaGrange softball team hosted rival Troup and it was the Grangers who came away with a 7-5 victory in a back-and-forth affair.

The Grangers would take the first lead of the game courtesy of a Kimberly Reynolds one-run single. It could have been more for the home team, but a great throw by shortstop Zoe Graham and a diving play at the plate by catcher Gracie Baker saw Carolina Garcia out at the plate rather than a 2-0 lead for LaGrange.

The lead would be short-lived, with the Tigers striking right back in the top of the second. An error allowed the first run of the game to score while Graham grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home the second. Troup, like its counterparts from across the county, had a chance to add more runs to an early lead but left runners stranded on all three bases.

The Troup lead would also last just a half-inning. The Grangers scored two in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead. A couple of errors by the Tigers’ defense kept the inning alive and LaGrange capitalized. Abby McGill and Dakota McDaniel hit back-to-back one-run singles to put LaGrange back out in front. 

Troup had a chance to knot the game up in the top of the third, but stranded runners on first and third base. The Tigers would eventually tie the game up in the top of the fourth inning when Kaylee Cardwell uncorked a solo home run that thundered off the scoreboard to lift the away crowd out of their seats. 

Olivia Damron almost had a home run of her own but her hard-hit ball clattered off the wall just a foot and a half short of being a home run. It did set up runners on second and third which the Tigers would capitalize on when Baker hit a two-run single to give the away team a 5-3 advantage.

Once again, the Troup lead would not last as Hudson Wood hit a two-run homer for the Grangers to tie the game up. Two batters later Tatum Nation came through with a clutch two-out single to drive in what would be the winning run.

The Grangers would add to their lead in the bottom of the sixth courtesy of a one-run single by Wood. LaGrange had a chance for more but a great play from Baker at the plate saw McDaniel out sliding into home plate.

Senior Zoe Thompson started in the circle for LaGrange and pitched a strong five innings before making way for freshman Dakota McDaniel. 

McGill led the way for the LaGrange offense with three hits. Wood, McDaniel, Reynolds and Nation all had two hits apiece while Carolyne Garcia, Shelby Siggers and Jasia Swanson all had one each.

Kaitlyn Smalley got the start in the circle for Troup and pitched 6 ⅓ innings before being replaced by Kaylee Umfress for the final two outs.

Smalley, Baker and Sheniyah Philpot led the Troup offense with two hits apiece while Damron, Cardwell and Camdyn Bassett all had a hit each. 

Troup fell to 4-6 overall and 3-3 in region play. The Tigers will return to the diamond on Thursday against Spalding at home. 

LaGrange improved to 8-3 overall and 5-2 in the region. The Grangers will get some rest before hitting the road to take on Upson-Lee next Tuesday. 

The Tigers will get a chance at revenge at home on Sept. 26 as LaGrange will go for the second straight season sweep over its rival.