The 03 Birmingham Giants fought, scratched and clawed their way to a 3rd place finish in Sundays tournament in Trussville. After a rough start, the Giants regrouped to battle the 02 white lightning to a tie, and then defeat them in their first pool play game, before loosing to the 02 eliminators 3-2, in extra innings.
After a disappointing start in the first game in pool play, the Giants next faced off with the 02 White lightning. After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Giants battle back to a 4-4 tie behind Julia Petty in the circle, who went all 3 innings, striking out 5, and allowing just 2 hits. Offensively, the Giants were lead by Reese Lowery (1), Elissa Glaze (1, 2b), Ali King (1), Abbie Warnick (1), and new comer Kadence Ward (1). The 0-1-1 record placed the Giants in unfamiliar territory, as the 5 seed heading into bracket play, and earned them another game with the 02 White Lightning.
For the second game in a row, the Giants faced off with the 02 White Lightning, this time the result would be different. Making her first start of the season, Ka’Mya Hampton(1-0) went the distance in the circle, allowing just 1 hit, and striking out 4 with 2 earned runs for her first victory of the season. Reese Lowery paced the Giants with 2 Hits including a double, and hits from Elissa Glaze (1, 2b), Ali King (1), Piper Lowery (1), Julia Petty (1), Abbie Warnick (2), and Krista Glaze (1). Catching Ka’Mya Hampton in the final 2 innings, Kailey Hicks, with runners on first and third , held a foul tip third strike, to preserve the score and the win, 7-3. The Giants, who have never lost to a white Lightning team, moved on the Semi Finals to Face the Eliminators 02 squad.
A tight, low scoring back and forth contest, the game would eventually be decided in extra innings. Julia Petty pitched all 4 innings, striking out 3 and scattering 4 hits over 4 innings and hits from Chy Barnhill (1), Ali King (1), Julia Petty (1), Abbie Warnick (1), and Krista Glaze (1), were not enough as the Giants could not hold a 2-1 lead, and lost 3-2, finishing third.
For the 5h time in 6 tournaments, the Giants have finished 3rd or above at their tournaments this season. The Giants play next in Trussville on Saturday.
