Locked in a 4-4 tie with South Warren and one out from extra innings, Greenwood softball coach Rebecca Rousseau had a feeling that junior first baseman Kaylie Allen could end the game with one swing.

Allen delivered with a line drive to straightaway center field that just cleared the fence to give the Lady Gators a dramatic 5-4 walk-off win Wednesday at Penny Reece Field.

South Warren (11-4 overall, 5-1 District 14), looking to lock up the top seed in the District 14 Tournament, rallied from four down to tie it with two outs in the seventh only to have Allen walk it off and keep Greenwood (10-14, 5-2) alive for a chance to finish in a three-way tie for the top spot in the District 14 standings.

“I think everybody in the dugout and on the field called it,” Rousseau said. “It was her time to shine and that was the perfect situation for her to be in. I wouldn’t want anyone else there.”

Allen said the home run was one of the biggest hits of her career.

“Having it tied there in the seventh is a little nerve-racking,” Allen said. “If we don’t come back then we have to go into extra innings and I didn’t want to lose. Nobody wants to lose.

“Off the bat I thought it was gone. I’m glad it went.”

The Lady Gators appeared on the way to the win without having to bat in the seventh before South Warren stormed back and tied it down to its last strike.

South Warren starting pitcher Taylor Enlow retired the first six she faced before walking Tori Dyer to lead off the third inning. Enlow retired the next two hitters on a strikeout and a force out, but Reagan Fletcher kept the inning alive with a single to center.

Tabi Willgruber was next and was hit by a pitch, but the home plate umpire ruled she didn’t try to avoid the pitch and that she would have to return to the batter’s box. On the next pitch Willgruber roped an RBI single to center and the Lady Gators were on the board.

Alex Grubbs followed and connected on an 0-2 pitch that hit the foul pole down the left-field line for a three-run homer to extend the lead to 4-0.

“I was mad because I got hit, but it’s OK,” Willgruber said. “I am glad I got to hit because I finally got that inning going and got that first run. That hit up the middle started a rally for us.”

South Warren used the long ball to rally back. Madison Stumbo started the comeback with a long homer to left in the fourth to make the score 4-1.

The Spartans threatened again in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs. Greenwood pitcher Allie Bush was able to wiggle free unscathed, getting two pop-ups and a strikeout to keep the score at 4-1.

“That was a huge deal for her,” Rousseau said. “She has worked to get to this point and her focus was on point. She’s my freshman, so I am excited about the future with her and she was absolutely on point and did her job tonight.”

South Warren was able to complete the comeback in the seventh with a two-out rally. Lauren Martin homered to make the score 4-2 and Abbey Mills followed with a two-strike single.

Two pitches later, Jessica Bush hammered a no-doubt game-tying homer to left. Stumbo followed with a single, but Allie Bush got a groundout to end the inning giving the Lady Gators a chance to walk it off.

South Warren pitcher Emily Reynolds retired the first two hitters on groundouts, but couldn’t retire Allen, who delivered the game-winning home run on a 1-0 pitch.

“This is absolutely huge for us,” Rousseau said. “I am proud of the fight. I am proud of how they came out and knew they could do this. It’s a daunting task going up against a good team like that. I’m just proud of the fight our team had as a whole. It was a team effort and I am proud of them for it.”

Allie Bush earned the win allowing four runs and 11 hits with four strikeouts.

Allen finished with two of the Lady Gators’ seven hits.

Stumbo had four hits for South Warren while Jessica Bush added three hits.

Despite the loss, South Warren can still claim the top seed with a win against Greenwood on May 9. A Greenwood win, and a South Warren win against Warren Central on Thursday, would set up a three-way tie between Greenwood, South Warren, and Warren East – with the seeding determined by a coin flip.

“We couldn’t get our bats going tonight,” South Warren coach Kelly Reynolds said. “Allie Bush did a great job pitching tonight and we just couldn’t get going. I think we are trying to concentrate on the big hits instead of the base hits – taking one base at a time and pursue the game that way.”

South Warren hosts Warren Central at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Greenwood will host Franklin-Simpson at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

SWHS 000 100 3 – 4

GHS 004 000 1 – 5

WP: Bush LP: Reynolds