The Marion Military softball team bounced back and knocked off Bevill State 12-8 on Sunday afternoon to win the ACCC Division II Championship at Veterans Park in Alabaster.
MMI entered the tournament as the top seed after posting a conference record of 29-7, and won on Thursday and Friday to advance to the final.
Bevill State was up to the task Saturday, earning a walk-off victory over CACC on Saturday to get back to MMI, the team that put them in the loser’s bracket initially. Bevill earned a 15-4 win in five innings, forcing a decisive game Sunday.
Bevill struck first Sunday, posting three runs in the second inning to take the early 3-0 lead.
MMI (43-21) responded, though, as a five-run third inning led to a four-run fourth, as the Tigers opened up a 9-3 lead and held that lead the rest of the way.
Destiny Brashears led the offense in the second game, hitting a pair of home runs and adding a double, driving in six runs. Nichole Dockery matched her three hits, with a homer and double of her own. Ronni Kate Ward had three hits, including a double, and drove in a pair.
Katie Hopson had two hits and two RBIs in the contest.
But the MVP of the tournament came from the circle, as Emily Rice earned her third win in three days. She threw 5 1/3 innings, starting the game and reentering after Haylie Lee threw 1 2/3 innings.
MMI began the tournament Thursday with a 5-4 win over the same Bevill State team. The Tigers scored all five runs in the second and made that lead hold up from there. Carlie Blanton doubled home three runs to lead the offense, while Rice threw the complete game. She was flawless outside of a four-run third inning.
On Friday, MMI blew past CACC 8-2, scoring in the first three innings and cruising from there. Hopson homered, finishing 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Alex Gray hit two doubles and drove home two runs. Dockery was masterful from the leadoff spot, going 4-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Blanton was right there with her, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs of her own. Rice threw 5 1/3 innings, with Lee throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Dockery, Brashears and Blanton joined Rice on the all-tournament team.
The win marks the first ACCC title for the MMI softball program, led by head coach Jeff Benson, in his 10th year leading the Tigers. He is assisted by Kori Benson.
MMI advances to play in the NJCAA South District Championship this weekend, as the Tigers host St. Johns River in a best-of-three series. A doubleheader will begin Friday at 1 p.m. at MMI’s softball field. If a third game is needed, it will be played Saturday.
The winner advances to the NJCAA Division II World Series in Spartanburg, South Carolina.