Against most western Kentucky opponents, and any other team that knows much about her, Calista Collins would not be allowed to swing the bat in this situation. With two outs in the bottom of the 7th in a 2-2 game, and with his team’s appearance in the tournament hanging in the balance, the Bracken County coach elected to pitch to Collins with the bases empty. He then learned the hard lesson that many have learned over the course of Collins’ career.
Collins walked the game off with a blast to left field that just refused to stay in the park as the Lady Lyons completed a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Bracken County, and completed a perfect 3-0 day in pool play at the All A Classic to advance to the single-elimination championship bracket beginning Sunday morning.
The walk-off win came after the Lady Lyons scored in the bottom of the 6th on a squeeze bunt to tie the game up at 2-2. Emma West perfectly executed the bunt which allowed Courtney Collins to come flying down the third-base line to score the tying run.
Lyon County’s late-game rally overcame a stellar pitching performance from Bracken County’s Ella Johnson, who held the Lady Lyons to just three hits in the game, one of them just happening to be the game-winner.
The game marked the only time the Lady Lyons trailed in pool play, as Bracken County scored in the top of the first to take a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Lyons came back with a run in the bottom of the inning when Calista Collins scored on a Bracken County miscue.
With the two pitchers controlling the game, the score stayed tied until Bracken County scored on a base hit in the top of the 5th inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Calista Collins finished the game 2-4 with the game-winning home run and two runs scored. Collins hit a home run in each of Lyon County’s pool play games Saturday. Younger sister Courtney had the Lady Lyons’ only other hit in the game.
In the circle, Lilly Perry had her second big game of the day. Perry gave up just the two runs, only one of them earned, on seven hits, striking out ten and walking three.
Lyon County returns to the field Sunday morning at 8:30, where they will take on Knott County Central in a quarterfinal round contest.
