By By Tim Cottrell
The Escambia Academy Lady Cougars found themselves in an unusual position Friday in Grove Hill, that position being behind.
The Clarke Prep Lady Gators took a 7-4 lead into the seventh inning of the AISA Area 1 showdown, before a late rally gave the Lady Cougars an 8-7 win.
Rayleen Miller led off the seventh inning with a double. Jaime Drew came to the plate next and took her fourth walk of the game. Meagan Jackson then drove a single to score Miller, and Lori Bonds followed with a sacrifice to score Drew.
Now trailing only 7-6, Lady Cougar skipper Darrell Jackson chose to use the squeeze play again to score Meagan Jackson, and sent pitcher Stacey Gibbs to the plate to do it. An unwise fielding decision by a Clarke Prep defender allowed Jackson to score and Gibbs to reach second base safely. With the game tied, Cynthia Allen stepped up to the plate and singled to score Gibbs to provide the go-ahead run.
"We were in an unfamiliar position," Jackson said. "Most of the games this year, other than our losses, we have had big leads most of the game, but it was very encouraging to see them come back the way they did."
Gibbs picked up the win at pitcher, going all seven innings, allowing nine hits, striking out five, and walking one.
Leading hitters for the Lady Cougars were Meagan Jackson, who legged out a triple and had two RBI; Rayleen Miller, who was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored; and Cynthia Allen, who was 2-for-4 and drove in the game-winning run.
"We were sluggish again," Jackson said. " I have to give credit to two of my seniors. Meagan Jackson and Rayleen Miller really showed a lot of leadership Friday. They stepped things up and it infected everyone. They really got everyone going. The entire team showed a lot of character.
Northview 9
ECHS 3
The Lady Chiefs of Northview avenged a 2-0 loss earlier in the season to the Lady Devils of Escambia County in a big way Monday afternoon, pounding ECHS 9-3.
The Lady Devils had several factors working against them. Rainouts had limited their practice time over the past two weeks and the softball seniors had gotten back early Monday morning from the senior cruise to Mexico.
The Lady Chiefs took advantage of the situation early, taking a 7-0 lead in the first two innings.
"Between the senior trip, missing practices, and spring break we haven't had a lot of time to work as a team," Lady Devils coach Jeff Haney said. "We need a couple of solid weeks to practice, but I don't think the schedule is going to allow that."
Pitcher Caitlin Spence picked up the win for the Lady Chiefs, throwing all seven innings, allowing four hits, and striking out three. The Lady Devils scored all three runs in the bottom of the seventh and got two of their four hits in that inning.
Morgan Marsh took the loss at pitcher for ECHS, and took two separate line drives from Northview outfielder Darbi Langhorne. One hit Marsh in the leg, and the other landed straight in her glove, but the impact caused a bit of a scare for both sides. Marsh suffered bruises, but was otherwise fine.
Leading hitters for the Lady Chiefs were Cassie Godwin, who was 2-for-3 with three runs scored, an RBI, and a triple; Stephanie Covan, who notched three hits in four at-bats with a double and two RBI; Rachel Killam and Vanessa Garrison, who both legged doubles and drove in a run; and Caitlin Spence, who helped her own cause with a double and two RBI.
Leading Lady Devils were Lesley Lyons, who was 1-for-4; Samantha Smith, who batted 2-for-4; and Tamaniek McGhee, who provided all three runs for ECHS with a bases loaded double in the top of the seventh-inning.
Lady Chief head coach Sammy Day was thrilled with his team's progress.
"The girls never quit," Day said. "When we were 0-3 and hadn't scored a run yet it would've been so easy to just quit, but they didn't. We just kept working hard and the girls haven't stopped working hard."