COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — In a championship showdown that lived up to the hype, the Collierville Dragons softball team edged Arlington 4-3 in extra innings on Wednesday night at Forklift Field to capture the Region 8 title.

Tied at three after seven hard-fought innings, Collierville senior pitcher Kendall Harper silenced the Lady Tigers in the top of the eighth. The Dragons capitalized in the bottom half, pushing across the winning run on a Hannah Shoup sacrifice fly to secure the regional crown and notch a milestone 20th win for first-year head coach Michelle Martin, a benchmark the program strives to meet annually.

The game was a seesaw battle from the outset. Arlington struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Collierville responded in the second. The Dragons took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the fourth, only for Arlington to tie it up with a pair of runs in the fifth. Neither side broke through in the sixth or seventh, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

Harper, who earned the win in relief, was dominant across six innings, striking out five. Senior catcher Addison Morgan led the Dragons at the plate, going 3-for-4, while Carli Crisp scored twice.

With the win, Collierville (20-11-1) will host Rossview in the Sectional Championship on Friday. Arlington (21-18) will travel to face Dickson County. Winners of the sectionals will advance to the TSSAA State Tournament, set for May 20–23 in Murfreesboro.