Lady Eagles keep hopes alive with win in 2nd game

Published 11:44 pm Thursday, May 9, 2019

The Pleasant Home Lady Eagles came up big in the second game on Thursday to stay alive in the 2019 AHSAA Class 1A South Regional tournament in Gulf Shores.

KINSTON 6, PLEASANT HOME 5

Pleasant Home led for most of the game, but a late rally from the Kinston Lady Bulldogs led them to an 6-5 extra-inning win.

In the top of the first inning, Ava Bailey got the first batter to ground out to start the game.

The next batter looked like she might have a home run, but Natalie Schwartz made spectacular catch as she crashed into the fence in center field for the second out of the inning.

The next two batters reached off of a walk and a single.

Bailey then got the next batter to ground out to Amy Kate Bulger at third for the third out.

Bella Worley got the Lady Eagles’ offense off and running when she belted a solo home run to start the bottom of the first inning.

Schwartz followed with a walk and moved to second on a hit from Hope Gunter.

Bess Worley then drove in Schwartz to put the Lady Eagles up 2-0.

Kinston got a leadoff single to start the fourth inning and then a one-out double had the Lady Bulldogs in business.

Bailey didn’t let it faze her as she retired the next two batters to keep the Lady Bulldogs off of the scoreboard.

The Lady Eagles added one run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Gunter reached off of an error to start the frame.

A few batters later, Emily Taylor blasted a two-out two-run home run to give the Lady Eagles a 5-0 lead.

Kinston got on the board when Victoria Peters led off the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run.

The Lady Eagles then got a double play to help end the inning.

Daisy Cordle walked to start the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Lady Eagles were unable to bring her around to score.

After six innings of play, Pleasant Home was on top 5-1.

The Lady Bulldogs weren’t going to go down easy as they pushed around four runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game.

Pleasant Home was unable to bring in a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra innings.

In the top of the eighth inning, Courtney Lunsford drove in Abbigail Smith to put the Lady Bulldogs up 6-5.

Pleasant Home got a single from Ansley Johnson in the bottom of the eighth inning, but were unable to bring her around to score.

PLEASANT HOME 11, SWEET WATER 3

The Lady Eagles avoided elimination by knocking off the Sweet Water Lady Bulldogs 11-3 in the second game of the day for Pleasant Home.

Pleasant Home’s Taylor was strong in the pitcher’s circle as she kept the Lady Bulldogs off balanced.

Taylor worked a quick top of the first inning.

In the bottom of the first inning, Taylor singled with one out, but the game remained scoreless after one inning of play.

Pleasant Home jumped out front in the bottom of the third inning as they went up 1-0.

Sweet Water came back with a run in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game.

Taylor reached off of an error to start the bottom of the fourth inning. Brianna Knoll came into run for Taylor.

Bess Worley moved here over to second with a single.

An error off of the bat off Cordle then put the Lady Eagles up 2-1.

Bella Worley followed with a two-RBI single to give Pleasant Home a 4-1 advantage.

The Lady Eagles added to their lead with a double from Schwartz.

Taylor continued to stay strong on the mound as the kept the Lady Bulldogs guessing.

The Lady Eagles added to their lead as they built an 11-3 lead.

Pleasant Home held off Sweet Water in the final frame for an 11-3.

Pleasant Home’s third game was not available at the time The Star-News went to press. Look for updates on our website, www.andalusiastarnews.com, or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.