By Brett Gilbert
In a thrilling and dramatic finish, the South Bibb 12u All Stars emerged victorious in the state tournament, winning the championship title despite a serious injury scare. With a 3-2 lead going into the top of second inning, the game took a sudden turn when a collision occurred in foul territory between catcher Londyn James and third baseman Joely Marchant. Both players were forced to leave the game due to concussion protocol, leaving their teammates to finish the game without their usual leaders.
Down two leaders, Braylee Gilbert stepped back into the circle with bases loaded, one out, and with the help of her defense she was able to get out of the top of the second only giving up two runs.
South Bibb took the lead back in the bottom of the second with a double by Sydney Kate Massey. They never looked back after this point amassing 15 Hits(2B: B.Gilbert,S. Massey, L.Simmons, R. Whaley, 3B:A.Marsh, R. Whaley) 13 runs to beat the number one seeded Mountain Wood All Stars 13-4 to win the first ever South Bibb Softball State Title.
South Bibb’s Head Coach Brett Gilbert comments on the game, “I’m extremely proud of our team’s effort and resilience. We faced some tough challenges, but we never gave up and continued to push forward. Our players showed great heart and determination, and it paid off with a big win. I’m excited to see what the future holds for each of these girls moving forward.”
South Bibb Softball 12U All Stars(17-3) will be advancing to play in the World Series held in Albertville, Alabama July 5th-7th.
