By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
A big fifth inning by the Mustangs propelled Isabella softball to a come-from-behind 10-9 win over the Victory Christian Lions on March 10.

The Lions wasted little time jumping on top of the Mustangs with a three-run top of the first inning. An early error set up an RBI single, RBI triple and an RBI infield single to put Isabella in a 3-0 hole.

With Isabella unable to answer in the home half of the first, the Lions tacked on three more in the top of the second to make the Mustang deficit six.

After back-to-back three-run innings for the Lions, the Mustangs made a pitching change, calling on Trinity Cox to take over pitching duties and the first scoreless inning for the Lions was the result.

Still unable to get their bats going, the Mustangs went in order through the bottom of the third inning and sent the game to the top of the fourth with Victory Christian remaining in the lead.

The Lions added one more run to their lead in the top of the fourth. The Mustangs went to work chipping away at the Victory Christian’s seven-run lead.

Alexis Owens got things started with a one-out single that set up RBI singles by Savannah Ellison and Katelyn Talley.

The Lions answered with another run in the top of the fifth, but it was the huge bottom of the inning for Isabella that was the difference maker.

Carmelina Fjeldstad got the inning started with a one-out double that was followed by a single from Kristin Wilson, an RBI double from Alexis Owens and a bases-loading bunt from Sophia Underwood.

An RBI single from Vivian Atchison and a bases-loaded walk to Ellison led to a base clearing triple by Cox that brought the Mustangs even with the Lions at eight-all.

The game did not stay tied long, as the Lions answered with another run in the top of the sixth, but the Mustangs matched that run with one of their own via an RBI single from Underwood to tie the game at nine.

With the game down to its final inning, the Lions threatened to score once again in the top of the seventh inning, but a line drive to third was relayed to second for a double play that gave the Mustangs three outs to pull out the win.

A one-out single by Talley got the rally going. Cox followed with a single, and with Jones reaching on a fielder’s choice, the Mustangs were sitting pretty with the bases loaded and one out.

After a couple of hard foul balls that would have rattled the outfield wall, a deep fly ball to left field by Fjeldstad allowed Talley to tag at third and cross home plate to seal a 10-9 win for the Mustangs.

Cox led the Mustangs both at the plate and in the field with a 3-for-5 performance batting with a pair of singles, a triple and three RBIs.

She would also come in a relief role on the mound and threw five innings allowing one earned run, six hits, five walks, and two strikeouts.