How playing small ball helped Alcovy softball bring home the Region 3-AAAAAA championship

HAMPTON, Ga. — It wasn’t something fancy or flashy from the Alcovy Girl Tigers that propelled them to a 8-7, extra-inning win over Woodward Academy Tuesday evening. 

It was the crew’s capability to play small ball — and the power to carry off a late Woodward rally — that earned them the win and, in the end, the Area 3-AAAAAA championship. 

Fourth-year head coach Miranda Lamb displayed her pleasure following Tuesday’s outcome. 

“I feel I’m nonetheless in shock slightly bit as a result of the sport was so shut,” Lamb stated. “I didn’t anticipate this sport going into additional innings. The way in which we fought again is what I must see.” 

The highest of Alcovy’s lineup was due up heading into the underside of the eighth inning tied 7-7. 

Three of the crew’s greatest contributors all season made their option to the plate. 

Ashlyn Hoy obtained issues began with a lead-off stroll that was adopted up by Kaitlyn Williams’ sacrifice bunt that moved Hoy to second. Hoy remained aggressive on the bases as she superior to 3rd off a handed ball. 

Within the subsequent at-bat, CeCe Williams confronted a 1-2 rely after fouling two pitches off. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, CeCe obtained sufficient of the ball to middle subject that allowed time for Hoy to jet throughout dwelling plate and rating the successful run. 

As Hoy made it dwelling, your entire Girl Tigers crew and coaches stormed Gerald Matthews Park in celebration of capturing the area title — the primary for Alcovy since 2015. 

A particular message delivered by Lamb previous to the ultimate inning appeared to encourage the gamers. 

“I gave them slightly Tiger love and advised them, ‘Now we have to seek out the guts to win this ball sport,’” Lamb stated. “‘You’re higher than they’re from prime to backside, now go on the market and present it. And that’s what we did.” 

Tuesday’s win had followers on the sting of their seats with some intense, shut moments. 

Alcovy was main 7-3 within the prime of the fifth inning with two outs when Woodward Academy discovered a spark. With a runner on first, Gali Nelson homered to left subject to chop the lead in half. 

Then, when Alcovy didn’t get a runner on base within the backside half, Woodward Academy drew even off two RBI singles within the sixth. 

Previous to Hoy’s game-winning run, Alcovy went scoreless from the fifth to the seventh inning. 

However when the Girl Tigers desperately wanted an out, they discovered one. Whether or not it was a strikeout by CeCe or a heads up play by the protection, Alcovy did sufficient to set its offense up for the win. 

Lamb pressured how her crew rose to the event with their backs towards the wall. 

“I stored telling them, ‘Discover it in your coronary heart to drag this sport out,’” Lamb stated. “Generally, our physique language was down and I simply wanted a response from them.” 

The Girl Tigers fell behind 2-0 proper out of the gate, however they responded with a two-run first inning to tie the rating. Then, they’d a four-run third inning to supply some separation. 

CeCe batted Kaitlyn in on a floor ball that was mishandled by Woodward. CeCe proceeded to attain on a sacrifice fly by Munoz. McDonald then had an RBI double that MacKenzie Parrott adopted with a RBI single. 

Kaitlyn batted Hoy within the fourth inning to present Alcovy a four-run benefit. 

Nonetheless, after the Struggle Eagles got here storming again to tie issues up, Alcovy had its alternative to win the sport within the seventh inning. 

Munoz reached on an error, Kaylie McDonald singled and Alexis Hernandez walked to load the bases with two outs within the seventh. Tajah Jackson struck out swinging to strand the bases full and ship the sport into additional innings. 

When the sport was over, that grew to become a moot level. In truth, all of the adversity and velocity bumps in Tuesday’s sport took a again seat to the postgame celebration when the Girl Tigers hoisted the area championship trophy. 

With the win, Alcovy will enter the state playoffs because the No. 1 seed. Lamb stated that she and her crew have been going to take a day to rejoice and get better from the area event. However, beginning Thursday, it’s again to work. 

“The competitors degree is barely going to go up from right here,” Lamb stated. “Now, we’re internet hosting the primary spherical and I hope [the players’] depth and focus is on softball subsequent week. We’ve achieved this primary purpose and the subsequent one is to make it to Columbus.”