MIDDLESBORO — Struggling to a 7-11 mark going into May, the Middlesboro Lady Jackets got healthy and put everything together at just the right time. The senior-dominated Lady Jackets extended their win streak to seven and captured the 52nd District Tournament title with an 8-2 win Tuesday over Harlan County.
“After we got our shortstop (Kenna Lawson) back we started gelling because we could put people in the spots where they needed to be,” Middlesboro coach Petie Gilbert said. “When Lawson came back, we started playing a lot better.”
The 14-11 Lady Jackets capitalized on Harlan County errors to score four runs in both the third and fifth innings.
Lily Partin made sure that was enough as she gave up two runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings with one strikeout and one walk. Kenna Lawson recorded the final five outs while giving up two hits with one strikeout and no walks.
“Lily pitched her heart out. She doesn’t have a lot of velocity but she throws strikes, and that’s what matters most,” Gilbert said. “Our defense has gotten a lot better since early in the year when we were making a lot of errors. You can’t win games like that. We’ve turned it around. Winning the district was one of our goals.”
Trinity Partin recorded three hits in four at bats from the leadoff spot to lead the Middlesboro offense. Kenna Lawson added a double and single. Kaprice Rogers singled twice. Abby Jackson had a double. Aubrie Womack and Kolbi Mason added one single each.
Kendall Brock led the 17-14 Lady Bears with two singles. Jordyn Smith, Aly Sherman, Cayleeann Yount and Aniston Burton added one single each.
Alexis Adams gave up eight runs on 10 hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
“I felt Lexi kept us in the game and did her job,” Harlan County coach Shelby Burton said. “We had some chances to score, but it just wasn’t our night. We’re young. We don’t graduate anyone, so we’ll be back. If we keep working in the offseason, I think we’ll have something to prove next year.”
Singles by Rogers and Trinity Partin opened the third inning for the Lady Jackets. Womack was safe on an errant throw to bring in the first run, then Kenna Lawson singled for another run. The Lady Bears made two errors on a ball hit by Lily Partin to push the lead to 4-0.
Kenna Lawson doubled to start the fifth inning, then another costly HC error opened the door for four more runs. Lucas pushed the lead to 7-0 with a two-run double before Trinity Partin’s two-out single brought in Middlesboro’s final run.
HC broke through in the sixth after Brock opened with a single and Aniston Burton reached on an error. Sherman singled home one run and another run scored on an error on a ground ball that Adams hit to third. The Lady Bears had the bases loaded with one out when Kenna Lawson came in to pitch and work out of the jam.
Yount and Brock opened the seventh inning with singles but Lawson retired the next three Lady Bears to end the game.
Both teams advance to the 13th Region Tournament.
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Harlan County 000 002 0 — 2. 6. 5
Middlesboro 004 040 x — 8. 10. 3
Adams and Robinson; L. Partin, Kenna Lawson (6) and Womack. WP — T. Partin. LP — Adams (13-11).
District softball
2026 – Middlesboro 8, Harlan County 2
2025 – Harlan 7, Harlan County 1
2024 – Harlan 4, Harlan County 3
2023 – Middlesboro 11, Harlan 5
2022 – Middlesboro 2, Bell County 0
2021 – Middlesboro 14, Harlan County 4
2019 — Harlan County 9, Middlesboro 8
2018 — Harlan County 6, Harlan 5
2017 — Harlan County 11, Middlesboro 1
2016 — Harlan County 6, Middlesboro 2
2015 — Middlesboro 11, Harlan County 5
2014 — Harlan County 3, Middlesboro 0
2013 — Middlesboro 4, Harlan County 1
2012 — Harlan County 6, Bell County 1
2011 — Harlan County 2, Bell County 1
2010 — Harlan County 2, Bell County 0
2009 — Middlesboro 9, Harlan County 1
2008 — Middlesboro 14, Cumberland 0
2007 — Middlesboro defeated Bell County
2006 — Middlesboro 1, Harlan 0
2005 — Cumberland 9, Cawood 3
2004 — Harlan 6, Cawood 5
2003 — Cawood 2, Cumberland 1
2002 — Harlan 18, Cumberland 7
2001 — Cumberland 8, Harlan 2
2000 — Cawood 10, Cumberland 0
1999 — Cawood 8, Cumberland 7
