Competing against top teams from Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the Tallahassee Merchants 12U Girls Fastpitch Travel Softball team, which includes two Bainbridge girls—Brooke Bates & Chelsey Harrell, went undefeated (6-0) to win the Gulf South Fall State Championship this past weekend in Daphne, Alabama.

The Merchants team, front (L-R) Brooklyn McGlamory, Jamie Morgan, Gabby Ekberg, Kelly Garner, Brooke Bates, Hannah Hilaman. Back (L-R) Coach Eddie Ekberg, Kailyn Andrews, Chelsey Harrell, Brielle Dozier, Coach Tommy Garner, Adrianne Van Atta, And Coach Bob Van Atta

After finishing 4th in their first tournament of the new season two weeks ago, the girls were able to complete pool play undefeated by beating last year’s 4th place team in the World Series (Bay City Bombers) from Mobile, AL 6-2 to come out of the A bracket with the #1 seed.

Heading into Sunday's single elimination bracket our team was put to the test the very first game with a 5-4 comeback win over Full Throttle from Gulfport, MS.  After a quick break, the Merchants started off the 2nd game scoring 7 runs in the first inning and never looking back to defeat the Southern Hurricanes from Hattiesburg, MS in 3 innings with a score of 15-0 to move on to the championship game.

This game would come down to literally the final play of the game. The Merchants were holding on to a 1-0 lead, with one out and bases loaded and time running out.  The Merchants got the second out on a force at home. With bases loaded and a two-two count, the Merchants’ short stop made a diving play toward third base, and from her knees threw the runner out at third base as time expired.

The Merchants will continue with their competitive fall schedule, including hosting a tournament in Bainbridge on November 7th at the Bill Reynolds Sports Park softball fields, before turning their sites and focus on qualifying for ASA Nationals in the Summer of 2010.