Plantersville- Going into the top of the final inning with a four run lead most nights would be fairly comforting for Dallas County coach Ed Miller, but not when you’re playing area foe and 2003 4A state champion Demopolis High School Lady Tigers softball team.

The Lady Hornets got out to an early 4-0 lead that would eventually be enough to get the win, but not before the Lady Tigers’ hitting duo came to the plate in the bottom of the seventh to give the Lady hornets a little scare.

DHS power hitters Lauren Roark and Katie Simmons cut the lead in half in the seventh dong what they do best, but the Lady tigers could not find enough of a rally to pick up the win and fell 4-2 to the Lady Hornets of Dallas County.

“Those two girls, (Roark and Simmons) one signed with Alabama, the other with Jeff Davis,” Miller said. “They scare you.”

For most of the game the Lady Hornets took their turn at being a team to be feared. With Mallory Miller working on the mound and a strong offense led by Cassie Newman’s solo rocket to deep center, the Hornets took a 4-0 lead into their final at-bat. Newman’s solo shot was her second of the week and fifth this season.

In addition to Newman’s homer, she singled, doubled and scored another run.

Chelsea Chamberlain singled and scored as did Miller. Cherie Lane added a single along with Jennifer McIlwain and Rachel Coley had an RBI for the 18-7 Lady Hornets. Roark singled and scored for Demopolis and Simmons had a monster double and a run scored in the losing effort.

Demopolis came alive briefly in the seventh scoring two runs on an infield single by Roark and a powerful single by Simmons that moved Roark to third. Kristin Etheridge grounded out to score Roark and Simmons would score on a sacrifice fly by Brittany Thorne, but Dallas County held on and picked up their second win this season over the defending state champions.

Demopolis allowed a run in the top of the first inning and then two in the third inning. Dallas County then added another run in the fifth inning. All four runs were credited to starting pitcher Lauren Roark (9-6) who suffered the loss. Roark went four-and-two-thirds innings giving up four runs on six hits with one walk, while earning 6K’s. Replacing Roark was senior pitcher Kelly Keasler, who managed to shut down the hitting attack of the Lady Hornets earning 3K’s while giving up no runs on three hits in her three-and-one-third innings.

The Lady Tigers (16-9) fall into second place in the area behind the Lady Hornets and will travel to play Haleyville in Tuscaloosa on Saturday at Paul W. Bryant High School. Game time is set for 11 a.m.