Long time coming
TUSCALOOSA -- Second baseman Clara Fuller retreated to the edge of the outfield grass and secured a pop-up for the second out of the eighth inning, before looking up to see the runner on third base take off for home.
That runner, representing the tying run, had no chance.
Fuller, whose arm is admittedly not the strongest on the field, fired a perfect throw to the plate. Catcher Cassady Greenwood hauled it in, turned and dove for the oncoming baserunner. She applied the tag, showed the umpire the ball and awaited the emphatic out call.
And just like that, the Oak Mountain High School softball team was heading to the state tournament for the first time in 16 years.
The double play was the final play of Oak Mountain’s 7-6 victory over Thompson on Friday, as the Eagles secured the first qualifying spot out of the Class 7A North Central Regional.
All nine players on the field made a beeline for one another near the middle of the diamond and the dugout emptied instantly, ready to celebrate an achievement that had slipped just out of reach far too often.
Last year, the Eagles were one game away and came up short. The year prior, the Eagles fell flat at the regional tournament yet again.
This time around, they were not to be denied.
Screams, hugs and more hugs commenced as the players and assistant coaches relished the moment. It wasn’t until a few minutes later that head coach Kaitlin Griffin joined them, igniting the celebration once again. Griffin was ejected early in the contest arguing a call and the Eagles were forced to proceed without their leader.
The win was the Eagles’ second of the day, both happening in comeback fashion. Oak Mountain trailed Thompson 6-3 after five innings, but three straight hits highlighted a three-run inning to tie the game in the sixth. After a scoreless seventh, Greenwood’s sacrifice fly in the eighth proved the difference.
M’Kiyah Mitchell homered in the game for Oak Mountain, one of two for her on the day. Greenwood knocked in two runs and Maddie Katona picked up three hits at the top of the order.
In Oak Mountain’s first win of the day, a 13-7 win over Tuscaloosa County, Mitchell drove in three runs, while Greenwood, Katona and Jenna Galloway each drove home a pair of runs. The Eagles scored seven runs over the final two innings to pull away.
Lacy Marty pitched all 15 innings on the day for the Eagles.
Oak Mountain now advances to the Class 7A state tournament, to be held at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park on Wednesday and Thursday. The Eagles last won the title in 2001, but has not even made an appearance at the state tournament since 2002.
Griffin has drilled that goal into her team’s consciousness since the day she took the reins three years ago. That's finally been accomplished, with the chance now to continue an already special season.
After the dust had settled following the Eagles' rousing celebration and players were gathering their belongings from the dugout, Fuller looked at Greenwood and could only whisper one thing.
"We did it," she said.