What once appeared to be a blowout ended with the tying run at the plate.
ProTech Pest Control led 10-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning, but struggled with throwing strikes late in the summer heat and had to hang on for a 10-7 win against Fox Auto Body in the Parks Dept. Senior League Tournament championship.
"It felt awesome, like, fantabulous," said ProTech catcher Paige Earls, who also played her final game at the Senior League level because she will have aged out by next season and got to collect the team trophy before being hoisted on her teammates shoulders. "We knew if we went down, lose or win, we played a good team and we had good chemistry. I wouldn't have asked to play with a better team. I love these guys."
ProTech tacked on at least a run in each of the first five innings.
Seven different spots in the lineup crossed home at least once. Madison Inman, Ja'Lia Webb and Aliyah Bounds each scored twice. While Inman had three hits on the day, including a triple, Webb and Bounds did their work by drawing walks.
"We took advantage of their mistakes. It's only natural, nobody's perfect, so we just capitalized on what they didn't do," ProTech coach Jason Dover said. "Our girls are pretty calm and collected. They held it together pretty good. They can handle the pressure and they are a great team."
ProTech, which lost 9-2 to Fox Auto Body to start the season, drew seven walks through the first five innings, in fact, helping to pad its lead.
Then the tide turned in the bottom of the fifth inning. Fox Auto Body drew five straight walks to start the inning, prompting a pitching change. Another run scored on a walk, cutting the lead to 10-4, and then in the sixth the first three batters also drew walks.
"I was really encouraged the way the game was going. They were doing what we wanted them to do. We had a good hit and everything started falling into place, and we just ran out of steam," Fox Auto Body coach Tom Taylor said. "I was really proud of the girls. I don't have anything negative to say."
One runner was called out for leaving the base early, and then Sarah Taylor drilled a hard line drive to the fence in center field for a two-run triple. Taylor then stole home, cutting the lead to 10-7.
"It is just kind of hard when we all want it to be over with. But we just came as a team, we had fun as a team like we have all season and that is all that matters anyways," Inman said.
With one out and the bases cleared in the final inning, Fox Auto Body drew yet two more walks, giving it 19 for the game. But with the tying run at the plate, ProTech pitcher Austynn Dover was able to get consecutive strikeouts for the win.
"It was crazy because we were confident, but we were scared at the same time," ProTech's Kiersten Womack said.
Inman and Dover each had three hits to lead ProTech. Earls was 2 for 3 with a run and a double.
Fox Auto Body had three hits. Leadoff hitter Payton Steward was 2 for 3 with a run to go with Taylor's triple.