Wayne Grant has seen days like Thursday numerous times over his 30 plus years in athletics. Whether on the football field of softball diamond, Grant knows that you can’t let lesser teams hang around with you.

The Pike Liberal Arts softball teamed used a late offensive surge to beat Abbeville Christian 13-5 in the first round of the Jonah McWaters Tournament in Troy Thursday afternoon.

Although the Patriots trailed just once in the game, after the top of the first and before they had a chance to bat, Grant said things could have been better.

“Well, I’m glad we won,” said Grant. “We had a lot of mistakes today, and we started very slow. We came on strong late in the game to win it, but I don’t like the way we started. We can’t let teams like that hang around with you, or you could wind up beat.”

Pike sent 13 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the fifth inning, to break the 5-5 tie.

In the fifth, the Patriots received hits from Lexi Pigot, J.J. Jones,Kayla Dendy, and Kelli Grant to score four quick runs.

Kayla Benton, Ellie Barron and Shelby Baggett also scored to give Pike a lead they would never surrender.

“We have to come out of the gates stronger tomorrow,” said Grant. “The competition will get tougher every game from here on out, and we have to ready to go at 1 tomorrow, or we could be in the loser’s bracket.”

The Patriots square off with Ashford Academy on Friday at Mendy Avant Field in Troy.

First pitch is set for 1 p.m.