TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The Stillman College softball team battled back from a four-run deficit and walked off the Dillard University University Bleu Devils 7-6 in eight innings Sunday, snapping a tough stretch with a dramatic extra-inning victory thanks to a walkoff homer from Lily Stone.

The Tigers (1-12) scored in six different innings and capped the comeback with a solo home run in the eighth.

"It feels amazing," said Stone. "Just hearing everybody cheering me on was very encouraging, and I feel like we're going on up for the rest of the season. It was a big win. I feel like this is going to help."

"It's been tough on us the last few weeks," coach Joel Penfield said. "I tell them just about every day, it's not going our way right now. All we ask is for them to come out and play, and I think we did that today. We had a lot better effort, and it was a team win. Thankfully, we got the big hit in the eighth."

Dillard struck first in the opening inning, but Stillman answered immediately in the bottom half. Alex Erwin reached on an error, stole second, and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on Avary Lumpkin's RBI single, which tied the game at 1-1. 

After Dillard regained the lead in the third, the Tigers evened the score again. Erwin singled and stole second before coming home on a throwing error, knotting the game at 2-2. 

Dillard surged ahead with a four-run fourth inning, but Stillman chipped away in the bottom half. With runners aboard, Erwin delivered an RBI single to score Molly Neal, trimming the deficit to 6-3. 

The Tigers continued its steady climb in the fifth. Lumpkin singled and later scored when Katelyn Lankford reached on an outfield error, making it 6-4. 

In the sixth, Addison Nuspl singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error before scoring on Lumpkin's sacrifice fly, cutting the margin to 6-5.

Stillman completed the comeback in the seventh. Makynli Kidd scored on a throwing error after Addison Seale reached base, tying the game at 6-6 and forcing extra innings. 

After a scoreless top of the eighth, Stone delivered the decisive moment. Leading off the bottom half, she launched a solo home run to left field, giving the Tigers the 7-6 walk-off victory. 

Stillman received a resilient effort from its pitching staff. Faith Byram started and worked 3.2 innings, allowing six runs, five earned. Micheala Otts entered in relief and shut the door, tossing 4.1 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out four to earn the win. 

Otts stranded multiple runners late and held Dillard hitless over the final three frames, setting the stage for the extra-inning heroics.

Stillman will use the momentum of the win to head to the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus. On Friday of the two-day event, the Tigers will face the University of Mobile (Ala.) at 1 p.m. and Campbellsville University (Ky.) at 3 p.m.