One loss sent the Pleasant Home Lady Eagles into the loser's bracket of the Class 1A, Section 2 Tournament. It also motivated them.

The Lady Eagles used the one-run loss to Ariton to fuel a comeback win against the Kinston Lady Bulldogs capped off by a three-run, inside-the-park home run by Britni Ballard to advance to the championship game.

The Lady Eagles fell behind Kinston 3-0 only to score five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to a 5-3 victory.

Kim Jacobs started the big fifth inning for the Lady Eagles with a single. Faith Gunter followed her and also reached base. Both of them scored in the inning.

Beth Cox reached on a walk in the inning and scored along with Brittney Blount on Ballard's home run.

The Pleasant Home defense shutdown the Lady Bulldogs the rest of the way to secure the win.

Ballard's home run and a deep pitching staff - made up of Kim Jacobs, Katy Wiggins and Leah Turman - turned the tide for the Lady Eagles.

"The home run just lifted a big weight off our shoulders and then we were able to relax," Pleasant Home Head Coach Jimmy Reeves said.

"The fact that we have three pitchers is a big plus in a situation like that and made all the difference in the world," Reeves added.

The win sent the Lady Eagles into a rematch with the Ariton Lady Purple Cats. Pleasant Home had to defeat the Purple Cats twice to win the section title.

The Lady Eagles won both games against the Purple Cats to cap off 18 hours of softball action.

The Lady Eagles won the first game against Ariton by a final score of 23-0 in five innings.

Ballard scored four runs in the win. Kim Jacobs scored two runs and had four RBIs in the win. Kayla Wiggins, Beth Cox and Carly Lundy scored three runs each.

Brittney Blount scored two runs and had two RBIs. Amy Jacobs scored twice. Faith Gunter and Tiffany Wilson scored two runs each in the victory.

The win forced the Purple Cats to play the Lady Eagles again in the "if game" with Pleasant Home winning 11-1 in five innings.

Lundy scored three runs and had two RBIs, including a solo home run, in the win. Cox, Blount and Ballard scored two runs each in the win. Kayla Wiggins and Amy Jacobs scored one run each in the win.

Pleasant Home began Monday with a 9 a.m. game against Zion Chapel at the Andalusia Sports Complex. The Lady Eagles finally returned to their nest to rest at approximately 3 a.m.

The Lady Eagles began the sectional tournament with a 25-0 win against Zion Chapel and then faced the Florala Lady Wildcats.

Pleasant Home defeated Florala by a final score of 28-1. Nikki Windham scored Florala's only run in the first inning.

After dismissing the Lady Wildcats, the Lady Eagles faced Ariton and lost 6-5 sending them into the loser's bracket. Ariton scored three runs in the seventh inning to get the win.

The Lady Eagles, however, got their revenge late Monday night and early Tuesday morning with two wins to clinch the sectional title.

The Florala Lady Wildcats went 1-2 at the sectional tournament. The Lady Wildcats earned a win against Houston County in first-round action. The Lady Wildcats fell to Pleasant Home in the second round and then lost to Kinston in the loser's bracket.

The Red Level Lady Tigers went 0-2 at the Class 2A, Section 3 Tournament held at Highland Home School. The tournament ended Monday.

Pleasant Home advances to the sub-state round of the state playoffs as the Class 1A, Section 2 Champion.

The Lady Eagles (28-9) will host Fruitdale for a best two-out-of-three series on Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. The games will be played at

Pleasant Home School.