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The Troup softball team let a late lead slip in game one of the first round of the 3A state playoffs on Thursday, allowing Mary Persons’ to earn a 15-14 walk-off win.

The Tigers opened the scoring in the top of the first when Olivia Damron hit a two-run triple. The Bulldogs struck right back with four runs in the bottom of the first inning as they took their first lead of the game.

That was just the start of a wild game as Troup immediately retook the lead in the second inning with three runs. Kaylee Cardwell hit a one-run single to cut the Mary Persons’ lead to just one run. An error later in the inning would allow two more runs to score and give Troup a 5-4 lead.

The Bulldogs would pounce in the third inning, scoring 7 runs to take a commanding 11-5 lead.

The Tigers would claw back into the game in the fourth, scoring three runs to cut the Mary Persons’ lead down to 11-8. Sheniyah Philpot, Kaitlyn Smalle and Damron hit back-to-back-to-back one-run doubles to get the Tigers back in the ballgame. Troup had a chance for more but left runners stranded on first and second.

The Tigers kept chipping away, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth to trim the Bulldog lead to just one run. Gracie Baker hit a one-run single and an error allowed her to score later in the inning to make it an 11-10 game.

That was far from the final score of the game with the Bulldogs scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth to extend their lead back out to three runs.

Troup would not go quietly into the night as Smalley delivered the biggest hit of her career in the top of the sixth. The junior hit a two-run double to give Troup a 14-13 lead. This was after an error allowed two runs to score for Troup earlier in the inning.

Troup had a chance to win the game with two outs and a runner on second base in the seventh inning, but the Bulldogs fought to the end and walked away with a massive victory.

Smalley and Damron were forces of nature at the plate as both finished with two hits and three RBIs. Cardwell also finished with two hits while Baker, Philpot and Maddie Colson all had one each.

Smalley got the start in the circle for Troup in the game, pitching all seven innings.

First pitch for game two is scheduled for roughly 3:45 p.m. Sophomore Kennedy McCoy is in line to start in the circle for Troup in game two.

Troup is now 0-3 against Mary Persons this season. A loss for Troup would see the team eliminated from the postseason while a win would have the team’s play a winner-take-all game three at Mary Persons at 10 a.m. on Saturday.