The pressure was on.
With two outs and a runner on second in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday night, the Helias Lady Crusaders trailed the Mexico Lady Bulldogs 2-1 at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
Helias senior Abbi Pringer stepped up the plate and ran the count to 2-1. Then
"(The pitch) was right there, I knew I was going to hit it hard or hit it far," Pringer said.
Why not both?
Pringer's two-run home run cleared the fence in center with ease to lift the Lady Crusaders to a 3-2 victory against the Lady Bulldogs.
"I haven't had the best pitch selection this season, I was just looking for a pitch I could hit," Pringer said.
There was no one else the Lady Crusaders would have wanted at the plate.
"She is absolutely the first one I would want up there in that situation," Helias coach Dan Campbell said.
Mexico took a 2-1 lead in the top of the eighth, stringing together three singles off Helias starter Lauren Howell. The Lady Bulldogs had a chance for more runs with runners at first and second with one out, but Howell quieted the rally with a strikeout and a groundout.
With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Taylor Woehr cued a hit down the line in right field for a double.
"As soon as that thing was fair, I knew it was going to be a double," Campbell said.
After a foul out, Pringer stepped up the plate and belted the game-winner.
"Abbi was into the game all night, she was really keeping up the energy in the field and in the dugout," Campbell said. "She deserved that."
It was a pitchers' duel between Howell and Mexico starter Paytience Lawson-Holman as the two combined for 14 strikeouts through the first three innings.
Both teams scored a run in the fourth. Hayley Mills had an RBI single in the top of the inning for Mexico. Helias courtesy runner Abigale Hoelscher scored on a wild throw in a rundown with two outs in the bottom of the frame.
"These girls never quit, we could have several times tonight, but they didn't and that's the sign of a championship-type team," Campbell said. "We showed some fight and some grit."
Howell finished with an eight-hitter. She walked out two and struck out 17. Lawson-Holman allowed six hits and no walks while striking out nine.
Helias (15-3) and Mexico (12-4), both assigned to Class 3 District 8, have now split a pair of 3-2 decisions this season.
"We knew this was a big game when it came to district seeds," Pringer said.
Campbell doesn't think this is the last time the two teams will play this season.
"I'm sure we're going to meet again in the one that really counts," he said.
It was the fourth win in four days for the Lady Crusaders.
"This was a long week," Pringer said. "But four wins is good."
Helias will take a couple of days off from practice before returning to the Legion Complex to host Rock Bridge on Monday.
"There are 18 girls that are happy this week is over," Campbell said.
The JV game will start at 5 p.m. Monday, with the varsity to follow around 6:30 p.m.