Giving up was not an option.

The 14-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars from Andalusia went into the Area Tournament in Atmore on a mission.

The mission resembled one given to an elite military force like the Green Berets, U.S. Navy SEAL team or the Delta Force. At least that is how they prepared for the tournament.

Coach John Tomberlin said the players worked hard gearing up for the tournament going through their own version of "boot camp."

The camp must have been somewhat similar to the one legendary college football coach Paul W. "Bear" Bryant used for his first team at Texas A&M when he took the team to the small, rural town of Junction.

It must have been similar because Tomberlin sounded like Bryant and the players who survived the Junction camp and returned to the Texas A&M campus when he said "it's something I'm sure they'll never forget."

Whatever the "boot camp" was like it seems to be working.

The Andalusia squad fell behind Atmore 3-1 before mounting a late rally.

Andalusia went on top for the first time in the top of the sixth inning when the team scored six runs for a 7-3 lead.

After erasing a 3-1 deficit, the Andalusia players were out for blood.

They continued the fight in the top of the seventh inning when seven more runs were put on the scoreboard for a 14-3 lead.

Atmore rallied for one run in the bottom of the seventh, but failed to put together a rally as Andalusia held on for a 14-4 victory.

Curtis Johnson pitched a complete game for Andalusia and got the win.

The win gives Andalusia the chance to face the Brewton All-Stars in the next game at 10 a.m. today. Brewton had a first-round bye in the tournament.

The winner of the Andalusia-Brewton game will advance in the winner's bracket.

The loser of the Andalusia-Brewton game will face Atmore.