Walk-off loss ends Lady Dragons’ run
Clinton pitcher McKenna Gavin delivers to the plate during the Lady Dragons’ 10-3 victory over Anderson County on May 6. Gavin started in the circle and pitched four innings, facing 19 batters in the district tournament contest. (photo:Ellie Hatmaker )
The Lady Dragons, who shared the District 4-AAA regular-season championship with state power and defending Class AAA champion Gibbs, saw their season end in walk-off fashion as they came up short in a 6-5 loss to District 3-AAA champion Cocke County in Newport.
The Lady Red scored the winning run on an RBI single by Chloe Niethammer with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Niethammer delivered her game-winning hit after Clinton’s Mandy Chambers blasted a three-run, game-tying homer in the top of the frame, making the score 5-5.
“Mandy’s three-run home run was one of the things that went right for us,” Lady Dragons Coach Leonard Sams said. “Norah Elliott went 3-for-4 for us tonight.
“We played well offensively. Defensively, we just had too many errors at key times. We still have a young team out there and sometimes, the game gets too big for them.”
Maddysin Reynolds singled, scored and drove in a run for Clinton, while McKenley Osborne came up with an RBI single. Addison George and Tegan Bunch both doubled for the Lady Dragons, who committed three errors in their season finale.
McKenna Gavin started in the circle for Clinton. She pitched 4.2 innings and allowed four hits and a walk. She finished with five strikeouts.
Elizabeth Maples came on in relief and went two innings. She allowed five hits, four runs — one earned — and three walks. She struck out three.
“McKenna threw really well tonight,” Sams said.
A tough loss is always hard to take, especially one that ends the season, but Sams said the Lady Dragons must quickly turn the page.
“We’ve set the bar high and we’re going to build on what we’ve done,” he said. “We’re looking forward to next year and we’ll have the biggest part of the team back.”
Clinton (25-16-2) beat Gibbs twice in 2026, including once in the district tournament. The Lady Dragons also had big wins over Knoxville Halls, Karns and Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett.
