On Saturday in Oxford, the Birmingham Giants 02, returned to form, winning another Championship, behind outstanding pitching yet again and a return of the bats, that had started slowly this season, and more importantly the return of the togetherness that makes the Giants unique.
In game 1 of pool play the Giants faced off with a new opponent, the Nightmare from Gadsden Alabama. After sending 11 hitters to the plate in the first inning, scoring 7 runs, the Giants cruised to an 11-1 win. Blakely Burr pitched all 4 innings, allowing 1 hit while striking out 4, allowing just the 1 unearned run.
Offensively the Giants pounded out 11 hits, including hits from Hadley Andrews (2), Lauren Cabiness (1,2b), Elissa Glaze (2,2b), Ka’Mya Hampton (1), Kinley Hall (1), Ali Parker (1), Kim Livingston (2), and Blakely Burr (1).
Ka’Mya Hampton started game 2 of pool play in the circle, going all 3 innings, allowing just 1 hit, enroute to a 4 strike out, shutout performance against Adrenaline 12u, and a 12-0 win.
Offensively the Giants launched another 14 hit, 12 run attack including a Home Run from Blakely Burr. Hadley Andrews (1), Lauren Cabiness (1), Elissa Glaze (2, 2 3b), Ka’Mya Hampton (2,1 2b), Kinley Hall (1), Mollie Freeman (2), Alli Parker (2), Kim Livingston (2,1 2b), and Blakely Burr (1,HR ).
Alli Parker Started game 3, the first game of bracket play, in the circle against Adrenaline. Going all 4 innings in the circle, allowing just a single hit, striking out 4, allowing no runs helped the Giants to another 12-0 victory.
Eight hits were enough this time, as the Giants sent 23 hitters to the plate in 3 innings. Hits from Hadley Andrews (2), Lauren Cabiness (1), Elissa Glaze (1), Ka’Mya Hampton (1), Mollie Freeman (1), Alli Parker (1), Kim Livingston (1), and Kylie Cordell (1). The win sent the Giants to the Championship to face the Xpress.
In the Championship game, the Giants bats though hitting the ball hard for the first 2 innings, trailed 1-0. Blakely Burr led off the bottom of the 3rd with a single, later scoring the first of 3 runs in the inning, and 6 total, and the Giants never looked back in the 6-1 win.
Blakely Burr went the distance again, the 4th complete game of the day for the Giants, allowing 2 hits, striking out 8, (2nd most all time, behind Julia Petty’s 10) and just 1 run in the win.
Offensively the Giants were paced by Hadley Andrews (2), Elissa Glaze (2), Ka’Mya Hampton (2), Kinley Hall (1), Mollie Freeman (2, 1 2b), Alli Parker (1), Kim Livingston (1) and Blakely Burr (1).
Out scoring their opponents by a combined score of 42-2, and in the circle striking out 20, walking just 6 in 17 innings, the Giants returned to form, playing extremely well on both sides of the ball, in the words of Bill Murray, “We feel Good, We feel Great, We feel Wonderful”!, and the Giants are back.
