Advancing to the second round was on the line and in two pitcher’s duels it came down to the seventh inning each time, and each time Tyra Hollingsworth came up clutch.

With a 6 p.m. start on a chilly evening, Alcovy’s first game against Lee County was – like the second game – a defensive battle. Lee County started it off with a bang, literally. After a Trojan player blasted a solo home run with two outs in the first inning off Kalia Johnson, Lee took a 1-0 lead. However, that would be the only run Johnson would give up in that contest.

With the Trojans leading 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers were in desperate need of a score. With two outs and the bases loaded a walk by Emma Waddell would score Johnson to tie the game. Hollingsworth went up to bat and with a quick swing vaulted one over short to score Jordyn White and win game one.

Similarly in the second contest, after another strong showing from both teams in the circle and on defense, the Tigers found themselves down 2-1 at the top of the seventh.

This time Madison Beazley tied the game after a bad throw to second that went to to right field, which should have been a routine out. Later in the inning, Waddell laid down the perfect bunt to put runners at the corners. Hollingsworth followed up Waddell’s bunt with a sacrifice bunt of her own to score Aleizha Wilson and put the Tigers in the lead at 3-2.

In the bottom of the seventh it all came full circle for Alcovy. The same Trojan player who hit a homerun in the first inning of the first game was struck out by Johnson to end the game and send the Tigers to the second round of the playoffs.