Demopolis JV rallies late to beat Jackson

Demopolis High School Junior Varsity softball picked up its second win this week, squeaking past Jackson 13-12 at home Thursday.

The Tigers managed to survive eight errors, battling back from behind twice in the game, to log their third win of the year.

The start looked promising for Demopolis, as the Tigers built a three-run lead in the first.

Marianna Pearson scored the first run, swiping home on a passed ball. Dani Shepherd ripped a shot up the middle, scoring Aerial Irby and Emily Schroeder, who each reached on a walk.

Jackson stormed back in their half of the second and, thanks to four Demopolis errors, took a 7-4 lead.

Jackson padded that lead in the third, putting the Tigers in an 11-4 hole.

Demopolis mounted their comeback in their turn at bat.

Samiya Lucas led off, reaching base on a dropped third strike. Pearson followed with a single and a ground-out by Irby pushed everyone up a base.

A Schroeder single scored Lucas and another Shepherd single brought Schroeder home.

Down by three runs, Tayler Pipkins dropped a single to left, bringing in April Schroeder who reached on a walk.

Shepherd scored on a passed ball and Mary Creigh Smith tied the game at 11-all with a shot to right field that brought home Pipkins and Zanadia Wright, who reached base on a single.

Jackson scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fourth, setting up the junior Tigers for a do-or-die final at bat.

With one out, Stevani Foster rocketed a single down the third base line. Lucas laid down a bunt that the Jackson defense promptly fired into right field, allowing Foster to score and tie the game at 12.

As Lucas rounded second and headed for third, another bad throw cleared the way for Lucas to cross the plate, sealing the win for Tigers.

Lucas’ bunt-turned-error-aided-homerun was her second such of the year.

Pipkins pitched three innings, throwing one strikeout and one walk. Lizzie Cannon came in for one inning in relief and logged two strikeouts.