UPDATE at 2:30pm: Orange Beach will face Brooks in the championship game after Brooks beat Houston Academy 1-0 in the elimination bracket final. If the Makos beat Brooks in their 5pm game today, the Makos will be the State Champions 4 years in a row. Brooks would have to beat the Makos twice to win the title, as it is a double elimination and the Makos have zero losses.
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Orange Beach, Ala. –
(OBA) – The Orange Beach High School softball team had a scare involving one of its star players during state tournament play in Oxford on May 13. A bad hop caught shortstop Daigle Wilson in the face and broke her nose and is causing swelling.
Wilson was on the field for about 30–45 minutes and was loaded on a board as a precaution since she suffered a head injury.
“Her nose is broken on both sides but she is good,” dad Matt Wilson said in a social media post. “We don’t believe there are any orbital breaks. She has bad swelling and bruising around her left eye. We are going to see an ENT doctor when we get home. She is super tough.”
Daigle will not be able to play in today’s championship game or games if a second is necessary.
“Thank y'all for all your prayers and support,” Matt Wilson wrote. “We have definitely felt it! We LOVE y’all. Now let’s go win it!”
The Lady Makos won three games on May 13, opening with a 10-2 win over Curry, 7-6 over Cherokee County and 6-3 over Houston Academy, the same team the Makos beat in the regional final last week in Gulf Shores.
“When she left the game was tied 3-3,” Matt Wilson said. “Her teammates rallied to win 6-3 putting them in the Championship game tomorrow at 5. KG (Favors) drew the letter D in the dirt and the team was chanting ‘D, D, D.’”
Orange Beach is waiting for the winner of the elimination bracket to be decided today before facing the survivor at 5 p.m. The team that makes the final vs. Orange Beach will have to beat the Makos twice, but the Makos need only one win for a fourth consecutive state championship.
There were several dramatic moments and clutch plays, including a walk-off homer by Falon Beebe in the 7-6 win over Cherokee County in extra innings and Teagan Revette had a grand slam when the Makos were down 4-2. Orange Beach pitching struggled during the win over Cherokee County but settled down when the winning pitcher from game one, Favors, came on in relief. Catcher Ava Hodo also homered in the Cherokee County game.
Favors had quite a day on the diamond as the winning pitcher in all three games – she started games one and three – and had a two-run homer in game one and a run-scoring single in each of the Cherokee County and Houston Academy wins.