Focus is a necessary commodity for being successful, and one for which McComb head fast-pitch softball coach Kristi Bird has searched from her team for some time.
On Monday night, Bird’s search finally ended.
The Lady Tigers rallied from three runs down for their first win of the season, an 8-7, eight-inning victory over the Wesson Lady Cobras at Sammy Clark Field.
“The kids stayed in the game. They really stayed in the game,” Bird said after the Lady Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning, then won it two frames later. “To stay in the game all eight innings, that was big.”
Trailing 6-3, McComb (1-2) took advantage of two key Wesson errors with two out to knot the score.
Jennifer Turner got the rally started when she was hit by a pitch with two out. Victoria Price followed with a grounder to third that was cleanly fielded, but the first baseman dropped the throw from across the diamond, sending Turner to third.
After Price stole second, Annie Artigues’ grounder to shortstop was misplayed, allowing both Turner and Price to score, cutting the margin to 6-5.
Artigues then trotted home on a wild pitch to tie the game at 6.
Wesson scored a run in the top of the eighth to take a 7-6 lead, but McComb again answered in the home half of the frame.
McComb opened the extra inning with Talbert, who was the final batter of the seventh inning, at second base.
Talbert advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored the tying run when Price’s fly to right was dropped. After a brief delay moments later, Price took third on a wild pitch and scored when the catcher’s throw to third base on the play sailed into left field.
Megan Coney earned the mound win despite falling behind early. She worked all eight innings and gave up five hits, three walks and struck out nine.
