Vikings rally late for win over Choctaw (with VIDEO, PHOTOS)

By TRAVIS DOWNEY

Northwest Florida Daily News
315-4476 | travisd@nwfdailynews.com

FORT WALTON BEACH - It was shortly after her team had fallen behind for the very first time that Fort Walton Beach softball coach Andrea Gore offered the Vikings a reminder.

"Our big thing before the game was we wanted to come out and compete for seven innings," Gore said.

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So, after squandering an early lead in the top of the sixth when an RBI double off the bat of Miranda Michael made it a 6-5 Choctaw lead, Fort Walton Beach didn't blink. They answered. Thanks in some degree to a controversial play at second base, Fort Walton Beach manufactured a pair of runs in the bottom half of the sixth before holding on for a 7-6 win over the Indians.

Briana DeGennaro received the win with a gutsy, complete-game effort in which the sophomore scattered eight hits and struck out two while freshman Jaime Phillips paced the Vikings (2-4, 2-3 District 1-5A) offense with a perfect 3-for-3 night at the plate.

Phillips drove in four - three coming on a towering three-run home run in the first - but it was a ground ball that appeared destined for an inning-ending double play that proved to be the difference.

With the Vikings trailing 6-5, Jennifer Phillips' singled to left field before her sister followed with a sharply hit ground ball to second base that looked to be tailor-made for a twin killing. Instead, Jennifer Phillips was ruled safe at second. One batter later Savannah Henry lifted a lazy pop fly to left field that was dropped and allowed Jennifer Phillips to score to knot the score at 6-6 before Jaime Phillips took home on an errant throw to third.

Armed with the lead once more, DeGennaro did her part to make it stand.

DeGennaro pitched around a leadoff walk to Hannah Renn - who earlier tied the game at 5-5 with a mammoth solo home run in the fifth - by striking out Brooke Byler and then inducing a pair of softly hit outs to end it.

"She struggled to find her changeup early but once she found that it helped us out," Gore said. "She's a very tough competitor."

Choctaw (2-2, 1-2 District 1-5A), meanwhile exited the Lady Vikings Softball Complex feeling as if it had just let one get away after committing six errors on the night.

"We made too many mental mistakes," Indians coach Billy Rice said. "I know we're a better team than how we played tonight."