CALHOUN, Ga. — The Johns Creek Lady Gladiators looked done. Down 5-0 against Coahulla Creek at the Lady Jackets Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 8, they needed a rally just to stay in the game.

They got more than that.

Johns Creek scored five runs in the sixth inning to knot the game at 5-5, then pushed across two more to complete a 7-5 victory that keeps the Lady Gladiators unbeaten at 3-0 on the young season.

Reese Stiltner led the charge with two hits and two RBIs, while Allie Lafon added two hits of her own. Kennedy Brewer, Uma Pittman and Sydney Laun each chipped in a hit as the lineup came alive after five quiet innings.

The sixth-inning rally leaned on small ball. Sacrifice bunts from Addie Grindle, Ella Grindle and Hailey Brown moved runners into scoring position and manufactured the opportunities Stiltner and her teammates cashed in.

The pitching staff pieced together the win by committee. Hailey Brown drew the start, Swara Khatri provided two innings of relief to keep Coahulla Creek in check, and Pittman entered to close out the game. The Gladiators committed zero errors behind them.

The comeback marks a shift for a team that won its first two games by the slimmest of margins. Johns Creek beat Centennial 3-2 on Aug. 3 and edged Peachtree Ridge 3-2 on Aug. 5, with Pittman throwing back-to-back complete games in those contests. Against Coahulla Creek, the Lady Gladiators showed they can win a different way, manufacturing runs in bunches when trailing late.

Pittman, a junior who carried the pitching load through the first two wins, shifted into a closer role Saturday while still contributing at the plate with a hit.

Johns Creek continues Lady Jackets Tournament play Sunday, Aug. 9, with a 10 a.m. matchup against Gilmer High School in Calhoun.