NEELYVILLE -- Neelyville softball had given up six runs in the first four innings and faced a four-run deficit entering the sixth inning against Naylor.
The Lady Tigers were unfazed.
Neelyville (4-3) buckled down on its home field Tuesday and scored five unanswered runs in the final two innings, including the winning pair in the seventh as part of a two-out rally to snatch a second straight 7-6 victory and push its record back above .500.
"Something we've been working on is being a good teammate when things are down. It's real easy to let something negative slip, and that doesn't do anything for anybody," Neelyville coach Aaron Burton said. "I was really proud of my girls for not doing that because it was sloppy; it was nasty; it was ugly.
"I think that was the key, that we didn't react negatively."
Neelyville committed nine errors in the victory.
Naylor (5-2) had a chance to win the game, but an error on a high throw from second to first came back to haunt the Lady Eagles. The errant throw allowed Tori Harlow to score the tying run and Lexus Hagood to reach third.
Three pitches later, the ball got by the catcher and hit the backstop, giving Hagood enough time to reach the plate, win the game and sprint toward a gathering of her teammates to get high fives and celebratory embraces from each of them.
Catcher Madison Dollins described the elation the team felt when completing the comeback.
"The momentum was coming to us, and we were just so happy, and we were just hyped, and it just carried over to both ends offensively and defensively," Dollins said. "It felt great. It felt like we were unstoppable."
Perhaps the most consistent Lady Tiger of all was Dollins. In the batter's box, four was her magic number. She went 4 for 4 with four RBIs, including a three-run double to cut the Naylor lead from four to one in the sixth. Dollins was just as good behind the plate on defense.
"When the team needs you, and you've got to try to make the plays, you do whatever it takes to make them. It just kind of gave me like a will to make them," Dollins said. "It was working on both ends, so it kind of gave me confidence."
Added Burton, "(Madison) squared every ball up. She hit every ball hard, and sometimes it's easy, especially in that position to kind of get laxed like, 'Hey, I'm doing a really good job at the plate,' but today was one of the better days that I've seen.
"That's contagious, you know, for the hitting end of things."
She made clutch play after clutch play, tagging out three would-be runs at home to keep Neelyville within striking distance. The biggest of those plays came in the top of the seventh. Center fielder Bailey McGruder scooped up a ball that was roped to her and launched a throw to the plate. Dollins gathered the ball and made the tag in one fluid motion for the out.
The next play, a ball slipped past her, but she tossed her mask off, found the ball and quickly tagged out a sliding Shawna Estencion, Naylor's pinch runner, for the final out of the side.
"(She was) bouncing around, not letting balls get behind her, and when one did, man, she got back there quick, got up and made a big play at the plate for us."
Payton Reinbott pitched a complete game for the Lady Tigers, and she got better as the game went on. After giving up seven hits in the first four innings, she regained her poise and allowed just three in the final trio of innings. Reinbott allowed just one earned run on the day.
"We kind of quit doing what we do, putting some bunts down and putting ground balls in play and scoring some runs," Naylor coach Gene Deckard said. "We had an opportunity to score a couple runs there and pad the lead, and we got away from that.
"We're young. We start six out of nine freshmen or sophomores. Basically, we've gotta learn to finish games out."
For Naylor, sophomore Alyssa Urich got the start at pitcher after throwing her third no-hitter of the season Monday. However, her day was cut short after a comeback line drive to the shin forced her to exit the game in noticeable pain during the second inning.
"It looks like -- right now without going to the doctor -- a deep bruise," Deckard said. "She's going to try to ice it tonight and maybe tomorrow put a stimulator on it to get the muscles moving back ... and hopefully be back for (this weekend's games).
"She's a tough kid, and I believe she'll be back if nothing internal is wrong with it."
Faith Sullivan replaced Urich and tossed the final 5 1/3 innings for the Lady Eagles. She fared well, striking out three and allowing just two earned runs.
"I have to give the kids props," Deckard said. "After Alyssa gets hit, Faith comes in and does a heck of a job and keeps us in the game. ... She hadn't thrown any complete games. She's pitched an inning here, an inning there. She hasn't pitched a whole lot this year. ... She came in and kept her team in it and did an outstanding job."