The mob started somewhere just on the first base side of the infield. As teammates joined, the momentum pushed the mob into foul territory halfway to the screen. Buried in the middle of the Alba-Golden Lady Panthers was Lilly Price.
Price, the number eight hitter of the Lady Panther lineup, had just placed a single into short left field to drive in Piper Hallman from third base, defeating Frankston and sending the team to the regional semi-finals.
The moment came in the bottom of the seventh. When the Lady Panthers came to bat they trailed 7-8, and were three outs away from having their season ended.
Lilly Thorn led off and pushed a ball through the right side for a single. Hallman, who went 3 for 4 on the day with three doubles, blasted a double to dead center. With runners on second and third, Abby Thompson stroked a double to right-center, driving in the tying run.
Up stepped Price, who quickly went down two strikes. The lefty then sliced an outside pitch up and over the left side of the infield. It fell in the gap behind third base, and Hallman raced home.
The ensuing celebration would bring tears to the eyes.
The chances of Alba-Golden rallying in the seventh were not great. Those in attendance thought that the time to rally was in the sixth, when the heart of the Alba-Golden lineup had loaded the bases, but they were all left on base.
The win would depend on the middle of the Lady Panther lineup and they certainly produced.
The outcome of the series was never certain. Game three was a seesaw affair with plenty of stick. Alba-Golden stroked 17 base hits off of Frankston pitching, while Lady Panther hurler Adie Smith gave up 6 hits.
The Lady Panthers, however, gifted Frankston four runs on four errors, which created the need for the late comeback.
With a number of athletes returning from the regional track meet, it would take all hands to win the series. For Alba-Golden it was a complete team win.
An account of game one of the series follows. Frankston came back and took game two, setting-up the thrilling decider last Saturday.
Alba-Golden next faces the Groveton Lady Indians from down in Trinity County.
The Lady Panthers of Alba-Golden demonstrated that they were serious about this postseason tournament by taking game one of their area round series. Under overcast skies and persistent drizzle, the Lady Panthers defeated the Frankston Maidens, 6-3, in Canton last Wednesday.
As expected, the level of competition took a huge jump between the bi-district and area rounds. Frankston challenged Alba-Golden. The Maidens were aggressive at the plate, often swinging on first pitches, and ran the bases with abandon. They executed three delayed steals between second and third in the first three innings.
Alba-Golden responded to the challenge. With two on in the bottom of the first, Joecey Lewers slammed a double into the left-center gap, driving in two runs. After one inning, Alba-Golden had a 2-1 lead.
In the second, Abby Thompson banged a ball off the fence in left field, but was held to a long single. She was called out on a steal attempt.
Combining two base hits, a walk and a passed ball, Frankston rallied to tie the score in the top of the third. With each team making solid contact at the plate and an irritating drizzle, the game was a close affair.
The Lady Panthers took the game in the third. Jayla Sitar led off with a clean single lined to left. Averi Stevenson stepped to the plate. She crushed a first-pitch fastball over the fence in left-center field, and gave Alba-Golden a two-run lead.
Lewers then reached on a walk and scored three batters later when Piper Hallman lofted a single to left. She went down in the count early, and fought off several pitches before arcing the ball into left field. It gave the Lady Panthers a 5-2 lead after three innings.
Alba-Golden added a run in the fifth. Adie Smith doubled with a drive to the base of the fence in left field. Shaylee Threlkeld came in to run for the Lady Panther hurler. Threlkeld reached third on a fielder’s choice and scored when Lilly Price put a ball in play in the infield.
Frankston registered a run in the sixth, but at this stage it was clear that Adie Smith was in a groove and was not going to let this game slip away. Her control was spot-on. She spread eight hits over seven innings, struck out six and walked one.
It was also clear that Alba-Golden could make in-game corrections. Their defense stepped up to record a rundown putout in the fourth, and shut down the delayed steals of the Maidens.
The defensive play of the game belonged to first baseman Faith Graham. She made an amazing scoop of an errant throw from Smith. The wet ball produced several tough throws in the field. Smith’s toss to first came out of her hand but with force. It skidded in to Graham at first base who reacted with a split-second scoop.
Next up for the Lady Panthers is Groveton, with all games in Rusk, Wednesday, Thursday, and if needed, Friday, all at 6 p.m.