The Knoxville softball team fell short against Carlisle in the Class 4A Region 5 semifinals Saturday night as their season comes to an end.

After four innings the Panthers found themselves in a 4-0 hole against the Wildcats, but a solo home run by Macy Cox and a three run home run by Marlea Cox in the fifth tied the game up and got Knoxville right back in the game. Carlisle then hit a three run home run in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead. The Panthers tacked on one more run in a late rally, but it wasn’t quite enough as the Wildcats hung on for the 7-5 win. First year Knoxville Head Coach Chris Peden says he is proud of his team, and is grateful for the group he had in his first season.

“They’ll always have a special place in my heart. Year one, this is a group, I’ve been in Knoxville teaching for four years, so I know all of them as a teacher and a student, but to get to know them as a head coach and a player. I had three amazing seniors who helped me out with the little things you don’t think of, and then I had a bunch of young and hungry girls who wanted to get better everyday and it showed. We came out here against the #9 team in the state and I don’t think there was a soul in this crowd who didn’t think we had a chance in the seventh.”

Knoxville finishes the season with an 11-14-1 overall record and will return a majority of their team next year.