The Billingsley Bears capped off the best finish in the softball program’s history with a runner-up performance against Brantley in the championship series at Lagoon Park in Montgomery on Thursday.

The problem with getting that close is the added emotion that takes hold once the final out is caught and another team is holding the title.

Seniors Anna Asbury and Makaela Tindol both played their last game in a Billingsley uniform, but were a major reason why the Bears bounced back from a mid-season slump at the plate and picked up steam down the stretch.

“It’s tough when it starts to set in that things may not play out the way you wanted it to,” Billingsley head coach J.T. Lawrence said. “It’s never been about the wins and loses. Winning is just a byproduct of the things that we do daily to make our lives better, and I hope that they can take that with them.”

The Bears demonstrated plenty of power both at the plate and on the mound and appeared to be a team on a mission for the majority of the postseason.

Earlier in the day on Thursday, Kenzie Glass connected on a home run that gave Billingsley the lead for good as the Bears advanced for an opportunity at the title with a 1-0 win over Brantley.

Casey Headley followed it up with a shot to right field in Game 1 of the championship series against Brantley.

Headley fouled back several pitches during the at-bat before finally teeing up on a pitch in the strike zone.

“I knew that I just wanted to get the ball in play, and it wound up going over,” Billingsley third baseman Casey Headley said. “It felt really good.”

Though Billingsley made its third straight state tournament appearance, Brantley captured its third consecutive state title with its victories over the Bears.

“They are a great squad, and probably the best hitters from top to bottom that we’ve faced all season,” Lawrence said. “Every pitch was a battle.”

According to Lawrence, the experience gained during its run as title contender, which should help as the team prepares to make the transition to Class 2A for next season.

“The second day of the state tournament was new to me and the girls, but we definitely got our feel for it,” Lawrence said.

The returning players will look to lead the team and maintain the stability of success that the Lawrence and the Billingsley program have created.

“It’s sad, but we have no reason to hang our head because we’ve play really good ball this week and the whole year,” Headley said.