On Saturday the 03 Birmingham Giants finished second after a long day softball at hoover central. After defeating White Lightning 03, not once but twice, and the Saints, the Giants dropped the Championship game 7-6 on a walk off single as time expired. The wins moved the Giants to 8-5 on the fall and 48-25-2 in 2015, their inaugural season.
In the first game of pool play, the Giants faced off with White Lightning 03, an organization they own a 12-2-1 mark against. Julia Petty (5-1) took the circle and for 4 innings completely dominated WL03 allowing just 1 hit, while striking out 5 as the Giants cruised to a 4-2 win. Offensively the Giants were led by Abbie Warnick (1), Chy Barnhill (1, 3b), Piper Lowery (1, HR), Krista Glaze (1, 2b) and Julia Petty (1).
In game 2 of pool play, the Giants faced off with the Jaguars and their cow bells. After coming on in relief with no outs in the first inning, Julia Petty hurled 4 scoreless innings, posting 5 more K’s, but the 3 runs early were enough for the Jags to hold on to a 3-2 win. At the Plate the Giants offense came from Reese Lowery (1), Ali King (1), Chy Barnhill (1), and Taylor Simpkins (1). The Giants entered pool play with a 1-1 mark and the 3 seed.
Because of their seeding the Giants were again scheduled to play White Lightning 03, and again Julia Petty took the Circle and again she continued her dominance of WL03, this time hurling 5 innings of 3 hit ball, allowing just 1 run while striking out 4. On the offensive side of the ball, the Giants used a 7 hit, 4 run attack to win comfortably 4-1. Hits from Reese Lowery (2), Abbie Warnick (1), Ali King (1, 2b), Kailey Hicks (1), Taylor Simpkins (1), and Julia Petty (1, 2b) led the way. The win allowed the Giants to yet again eliminate a WL team and moved them into the next round of bracket play. In the Semi-Final round, the Giants were matched with the Saints-May 03 team.
In the Semi-Final game against the Saints-May, the 2 teams played a close game that came down to the end, where the Giants prevailed with a 5-4 victory. Chy Barnhill (3-3) went the distance in the circle, scattering 6 hits and 4 runs, and the Giants offense launched a 13 hit attack in the win. Hits came from Reese Lowery (1), Abbie Warnick (2), Ali King (2), Chy Barnhill (1), Kailey Hicks (1, 2b), Piper Lowery (2), Krista Glaze (2), Taylor Simpkins (1), and Julia Petty (1).
The win advanced the Giants to the Championship for the second time in 3 tournaments in the fall season. The Giants however, struggled through the first inning, allowing 4 runs before the pop corn had been popped and the cow bells had been rung. After 2 innings of play, the Giants trailed 6-2, but in the 3rd inning the Giants began a comeback that would lead them all the way back to a 6-6 tie. In the Top of the third, Ali King (1, 2b) led off the inning hitting the 2nd pitch into the alley for a double, followed by a run scoring single from Chy Barnhill (2), and another Run scoring Double from Piper Lowery (1, 2b) and a Triple down the right field line from Krista Glaze (1, 3b) to even the score at 6. The Jags however in the bottom half of the inning led off with a single and advanced to second on an arrant throw and third on an fielders choice and scored on an infield ground out, and the Giants dropped a tough 7-6 game. Reese Lowery (1, 2b) also had a double for the Giants.
With Rickwood weekend this saturday, the Giants 03 are off, and will resume play on Oct 3rd.
