The Pleasant Home Lady Eagles (16-10) finished the regular season as the No. 6 team in Class 1A, and today they begin their next step towards a state championship.

 

Finishing as the second qualifier in the South Regional, the Lady Eagles will take on Athens Bible, who finished as the first qualifier in the North Regional, in the first round of the AHSAA Class 1A state softball tournament at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park.

 

“Any team we play at this point will be a quality team,” Lady Eagles’ head coach Jessica Gibson said. “We have to show up and bring effort regardless of the name across the front of our opponents jersey.”

 

This is the second time in three seasons that the Lady Eagles have made it to the state tournament, but most of the current Lady Eagles roster weren’t on that team.

 

“We are a very young team,” Gibson said. “This is a new experience for most of the players.”

 

Gibson said regardless of the atmosphere that the Lady Eagles must rely on each other the way they have all season.

 

“We have to focus on believing in ourselves and encouraging one another,” Gibson said. “Regardless of the atmosphere, we have to have the same confidence in each other that has gotten us here. We can’t do it without each other.”

 

Gibson said the Lady Eagles are excited about the chance to be playing in the state tournament.

 

“They are all very excited about this,” Gibson said. “Just going is something that we are very proud of. We appreciate all of the support that we have received, and we know that God will glorify himself through what we do. That is our focus.”

 

First pitch for game one is set for 9 a.m. today. Win or lose, the Lady Eagles’ second game will be today at 1:30 p.m.