The Italy Lady Gladiators are ready to take on the Mart Lady Panthers in a class A bi-district showdown in Corsicana. (Barry Byers)
Lady Gladiator Hannah Washington(8) performs bat tricks with Italy hoping for a little magic against Mart. (Barry Byers)
Brooke DeBorde(17) and the Lady Gladiators are ready to come out swinging against Mart. (Barry Byers)
Team manager Taylor Turner is owning her tie-dyed Lady Gladiator playoff shirt. (Barry Byers)
The legend, assistant coach Johnny Jones, has his Lady Gladiators prepapred for battle against Mart. (Barry Byers)
Senior Paige Westbrook(10) fires up her team before the game with a mixture of straight talk, humor and blessings. (Barry Byers)
Ashlyn Jacinto(6) during the pre-game introductions. (Barry Byers)
The Lady Gladiators honor the flag and all it represents. (Barry Byers)
Madison Washington(2) gets in the groove early. (Barry Byers)
Lady Gladiator head coach Wayne Rowe appears to be asking Jaclynn Lewis(15) to hit one over the centerfield wall… (Barry Byers)
…so Jaclynn obliges her coach with a solo homerun shot over the centerfield fence to pull Italy within one run of Mart, 9-8. (Barry Byers)
Jaclynn Lewis(15) is congratulated by her teammates after Lewis’ home run put the Lady Gladiators in a position to rally back for the win. (Barry Byers)
Lillie Perry(9) hits and then hurries to first-base. (Barry Byers)
Paige Westbrook(10) singles to put two runners on base for the Lady Gladiators. (Barry Byers)
Lillie Perry(9) reaches second-base and then locates the ball in hopes of going to third. (Barry Byers)
Mart struggled to hit off Lady Gladiator pitcher Jaclynn Lewis(15) late in the contest. (Barry Byers)
April Lusk(18) warms up between innings. (Barry Byers)
Catcher Lillie Perry(9) throws down to second-base. (Barry Byers)
Paige Westbrook(10) settles in at first with Italy trying to pull off a comeback win. (Barry Byers)
Gladiator Baseball players Ryan Connor and Ty Windham lead the cheers for the Lady Gladiators. (Barry Byers)
Italy’s April Lusk(18) is ready to react at third. (Barry Byers)
Britney Chambers(4) with a solid performance against Mart chats with father/coach Michael Chambers before taking another turn at bat. (Barry Byers)
Close…very close. Bailey Eubank(1) tries to represent the game-tying run for Italy but the close call goes Mart’s way. (Barry Byers)
Sisters Brianna, Annie, Lillie, and mom Debra, are still Italy proud! (Barry Byers)