GALLIPOLIS — Now that was worth the wait.

After waiting four days to complete its Southeastern Ohio Athletic League Day of Champions title game with visiting Marietta, the Gallia Academy softball team made the most of being patient Tuesday night — winning their first SEOAL crown in 25 years with a dramatic 4-3 victory at Memorial Field.

The Blue Angels (18-5) captured their first outright SEOAL softball title since the 1984 campaign, the only other time that GAHS has accomplished that feat in the school’s illustrious history. It also marks the first time in three consecutive years that the Angels came away with a victory in an SEOAL Day of Champions title game.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh, freshman Heather Ward delivered the heroics — driving a single to right field that plated Courtney Shriver for the game-winning run.

For GAHS, it was a monumental day on many levels.

First and foremost, it allowed the Angels to avenge an 8-1 loss to Marietta back in the 2007 DOC at Memorial Field — as well as last year’s heartbreaking 1-0, eight-inning loss at Logan in the same title game.

And on top of exercising those demons, the Angels also became the first softball team since the SEOAL expanded into two divisions in 2007 to go unbeaten (12-0) throughout the course of divisional play and then win the overall league crown.

Fifth-year GAHS coach Jim Niday was overwhelmed with joy about the final outcome afterward. Then again, for a team with three SEOAL South titles, a 27-game SEOAL South winning streak and a combined 35-1 mark in SEOAL South play, this result was long overdue.

“We’ve waited four days for this. Heck, we’ve waited three years for this and the wait was worth every single second,” Niday commented. “I couldn’t be more proud of these kids and the work they have put in to get to this point. I can’t really say anything else right now, I’m just very happy for this group and what they have accomplished today.”

Niday was also very complementary of the Lady Tigers (13-6) on a very well-played contest.

“We knew what we had to do against Marietta. Layne (Carpenter) is a tremendous pitcher and they are a very solid softball team all the way around, so we needed to execute and make big plays when the opportunity was there — and that’s what we did,” Niday said. “They were definitely a worthy opponent and if they would have come out on top, we’d have been congratulating them on a league title. But, as it went, we came up with the big plays and we are adding a 2009 to our softball banner in the gymnasium.”

The game — which originally started on Friday before lightning halted things — resumed in the top of the sixth with the score tied at three.

Hutchison led the inning off for MHS by reaching safely on an error, but Davis grounded into a 1-3 double play in the next at-bat to virtually stop any momentum during that frame. GAHS also had a baserunner reach on an error in the sixth, but Mattie Lanham was left stranded at second base.

Things really got tense in the top of the seventh, as Brown reached on an error and Stalter followed with a walk to give the guests two on with one down. Milligan struck out one batter later for the second out, then Brown was caught stealing at third to wrap up the Marietta half of that frame.

Then in the bottom of the seventh, GAHS went to work against Carpenter. Shriver was issued a leadoff walk, then Amy Noe singled to give the hosts runners on the corners with nobody out.

Brittyn Saunders was issued an intentional pass one batter later, loading the bases with the winning run standing only 60 feet away.

Carpenter battled back to strike out Kassie Day for the first out, but Ward followed with the single that brought the title home to the Old French City.

Both teams went scoreless through the first two frames, then GAHS struck first blood in the bottom of the third when back-to-back leadoff singles by Calyssa Mayes and Alli Saunders gave the hosts two on with nobody out. Mattie Lanham followed by reaching on an error, allowing Mayes to score the first run of the night.

With one out, Courtney Shriver was walked to load the bases, then Amy Noe delivered an RBI single — allowing Saunders to come homeward for a 2-0 cushion after three complete.

The score remained that way until the top of the fifth, when MHS erupted for three runs to turn a two-run deficit into a one-run edge. Hutchison was issued a leadoff walk, then Davis laid down a bunt single to give the guests two on with nobody out.

Felton followed by hitting into a fielder’s choice, which loaded the bases. Thomson then flied out to left, and Hutchison was thrown out at home trying to score on the tag.

Brown followed with a fielder’s choice to load the bases with two away, then Stalter singled home Davis to make it a 2-1 contest. Milligan was hit by a pitch on the ensuing at-bat, which allowed Felton to score and tie things up at two. Brown later scored on a wild pitch, giving Marietta a 3-2 cushion heading into the bottom of the fifth.

Shriver was walked in that home half of the fifth, then later scored on a bases-loaded walk to Kassie Day that knotted things up at three apiece. GAHS also left the bases loaded in that at-bat.

Noe — who was the losing pitcher of record in both previous SEOAL Day of Champions contests — finally got her first win in the big one, allowing only three hits and four walks over seven innings of work while striking out six.

Carpenter — who was the winning pitcher against GAHS in the 2007 DOC — settled for the loss, allowing seven hits and five walks over 6.1 innings of work while fanning 13.

Noe led the offense with three hits, followed by Ward, Calyssa Mayes, Alli Saunders and Kimber Davis with one safety apiece. Carpenter, Stalter and Davis had the lone hits for Marietta.

Gallia Academy 4, Marietta 3

Marietta 000 030 0 — 3 3 4

Gallipolis 002 010 1 — 4 7 2

MARIETTA (13-6): Carpenter and Thomson.

GALLIPOLIS (18-5): Noe and Lanham.

WP — Noe; LP — Carpenter.