For the first time since their T.R. Miller Invitational softball tournament began, the T.R. Miller Lady Tiger softball team claimed their own championship Saturday over rival W.S. Neal.
The Lady Tigers started their season and the tournament on Friday going 2-0 before coming back Saturday and braving rain and temperatures dropping through the day to go 4-0. Overall the Lady Tigers went 6-0 and defeated W.S. Neal 6-4 in the championship game to take the title.
“Having lost five seniors off of last year’s team, we were a little concerned about the overall make up of our whole team,” T.R. Miller Lady Tiger head coach Greg White said. “We knew we had kids that could play but we weren’t exactly sure where they would wind up playing. We used this tournament to move some kids around to different positions and see what they could do.”
White said all during pre-season practice, they stressed the importance of not being selfish and for the players to know their role on the team and the importance of being a true teammate.
“We dressed 17 players for the tournament and all 17 contributed in some way,” White said. “I’m extremely proud of their character, attitudes and effort that they brought to the games. We didn’t just have one or two kids that carried us to the championship of this tournament, we had several kids make big plays and get big hits at big times. I think that’s why we were able to pull out the wins that we did. We didn’t play perfect this weekend but we did a lot of good things and got a lot of people quality playing time that will help us out down the road in our season. Winning that trophy was truly a team effort and I am very proud of that.”

TRM 12, Monroe County 1
In their first game of the tournament Friday, T.R. Miller defeated Monroe County 12-1.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first, T.R. Miller scored five runs in the bottom of the inning and would later added seen to get the win.
Laurel Billy pitched in the win striking out five and allowing two hits and hit one batter.
Leah Brundidge had a single and Taylor Guthrie had a homerun. Takeysia McFugerson had two singles along with Jessica Allan.
Kelsey Thompson, Kristen Booker and Abbi Roberts all had singles in the win.

TRM 10, McGill-Toolen 3
Against McGill-Toolen in their second game, T.R. Miller won 10-3.
T.R. Miller scored three runs in the first inning, six in the second and one in the third while McGill scored one in the first and two in the third.
Guthrie earned the win on the mound allowing one hit, six walks, hit three batters and struck out four.
At the plate for the Lady Tigers, Hamric had a triple, Brundidge had a single, Guthrie had a triple and a double, Allan had a single, Thompson had a single, Lauren Ward had a single, and Moriah Brundidge had a triple.

TRM 13, Greenville 3
In their final game of pool play, T.R. Miller won 13-3 over Greenville to go to 3-0 overall and in the tournament and take first place in their pool.
Billy earned the win on the mound going five innings and allowing three hits, two walks and struck out six.
Leah Brundidge was 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs.

TRM 13, Hillcrest 1
In the single elimination part of the tournament, T.R. Miller defeated Hillcrest 13-1.
Guthrie earned the win on the mound going three innings, allowing no hits and walked four while striking out five.
Moriah Brundidge went one inning and struck out two, walked one and surrendered no hits.
Hamric was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Leah Brundidge was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Alli Taylor was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

TRM 4, Baldwin County 2
In the semifinals of the tournament, T.R. Miller defeated Baldwin County 4-2 to advance to the championship game.
Billy earned the win on the mound going five innings allowing four hits, three walks and struck out two.
Hamric was 3-for-3 with one RBI and hit a double in bottom of the last inning to drive in the winning run.

TRM 6, W.S. Neal 4
In the championship game, T.R. Miller defeated W.S. Neal 6-4 to claim the championship.
Guthrie went the first two innings allowing two hits and walked three.
Billy went three innings allowing one hit and a walk.
Guthrie was 1-for-3 with a homerun and Leah Brundidge was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
Thompson was 1-for-2 with a two RBI double and Allan was 1-for-2 with an RBI on a suicide squeeze to score Leah Brundidge.