BAKER — It’s doubtful that Baker School’s softball team will be able to top Friday’s District 3-1A opener with Freeport.
It’s even more doubtful that the Gators would want a repeat of the sixth inning that saw the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. The teams combined to send 26 batters to the plate and score 18 runs.
The Bulldogs won the inning scoring 10 runs, but the Gators won the game 15-11.
Baker-Freeport softball photos>>>
“I can’t express how excited and happy I am for our girls right now,” Gator Coach John Carlisle said. “We had it and then things just kind of fell apart for us.
“Every one of them was mad (after the top of the sixth) and I told them, ‘Look, we have a shot.’”
Baker (2-3, 1-0) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning as the Gators chased Freeport starting pitcher Jimmi Watts.
Leadoff hitter Tori Foster got the Gators off to a quick start with the first of her three hits in the game. Foster later scored the game’s first run.
Emily Stewart followed with a hit and later scored. Mykala McCranie walked. Her courtesy runner, younger sister Bethany, scored as Alexis Mitchem was safe on an error. Jessica Black plated Hannah Burlison, who ran for Mitchem, with a sacrifice fly.
Freeport managed one run in the top of the second, but the Gators came back with three more scores of their own.
The score remained 7-1 in favor of Baker until the sixth inning that was straight out of a horror movie.
Freeport sent 14 batters to the plated and scored 10 runs in the top of the inning to jump in front 11-7.
But the game was far from over as Baker sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs. Ashley Black started off the Gator sixth with a walk and things snowballed from there.
The big shot of the inning was a 3-run homer by Foster over the wall in right field.
The Gators were able to shut down the Bulldogs in the top of the seventh to take the win.
“It speaks to the resiliency of our kids,” Carlisle said. “We’ve been struggling a little bit here at the beginning part of the year. I’d much rather struggle right now because I hope it will help us build character somewhere down the road.
“That (the sixth inning) was just an unbelievable inning.”
Foster, Stewart and Mykala McCranie each had three hits. Foster, McCranie and Mitchem each scored three runs for Baker.
Mitchem picked up the win in the circle.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Baker softball team gets wild win over Freeport (PHOTOS, VIDEO)