If Gainesville High softball coach Jeremy Kemp was looking for a nickname to fit his team, the Cardiac Kids would do just fine. The Lady Red Elephants strung together seven runs in the bottom of the seventh en route to an 11-10 win against Gilmer in Region 7-AAA’s tournament play-in game on Monday at the Lanier Point Softball Complex.

"These girls just don’t quit," an excited Kemp said after the win. "It doesn’t matter how you start, but how you finish."

This isn’t the first time that the Lady Red Elephants (9-18) have put together a dramatic finish this season. Gainesville put together a nine-run rally to top Chestatee last month.

However, the region play-in victory was much more important, and puts Gainesville against No. 1 seed Creekview (25-6) at 4:30 p.m. today in the first round of the 7-AAA tournament. The Lady Red Elephants lost both head-to-head games against Class AAA’s No. 5-ranked Creekview in the regular season (9-0 and 9-1).

On Monday, Andie Allen, a junior, played the role of hero for Gainesville. She was responsible for the three-RBI single down the right field line that cleared the bases and scored Rebecca Lawrence, Gracie McGarity and Natalie Allen to win the game.

"I’m just so excited that we won the game," Allen said. "That was a good team we just beat."

Shakeela Griffin got the ball rolling in the seventh inning for Gainesville with an RBI double. She finished the game 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. The Lady Red Elephants sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh inning.

Once the Lady Red Elephants got a little momentum going in the seventh inning, they couldn’t be stopped. Chelsey Smith, Lawrence, McGarity and Natalie Allen also drove in runs for Gainesville in the seventh.

When Andie Allen slapped the game-winning single down the right field line, it scored her sister Natalie Allen all the way from first. Natalie Allen stopped at third on a throw to the plate by the right fielder, but when the ball got past the catcher she came home to score and avoid extra innings.

"It’s a crazy game," Kemp said. "It just shows you can beat anyone, on any given day."

Gainesville’s only other runs came with a pair of runs in each the second and third inning. In the second, Natalie Allen and Maggie Norton each had RBI singles. Allen finished the game 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Lawrence and McGarity each drove in runs for Gainesville in the third inning.

Caitlyn Ludwig picked up the win for the Lady Red Elephants throwing a complete game. She’ll throw again today against the Lady Grizzlies, Kemp said.

Gainesville’s rally muzzled a good day offensively for Gilmer. Each batter for the Lady Bobcats had at least one hit. Ashley Waters (3-for-5, 3 RBI), Taryn Carswell (3-for-4, two runs scored) and Kim Garrett (3-for-5, RBI) led the Lady Bobcats at the plate.

Gilmer’s season is now complete.