NATCHEZ — He insisted he wasn’t really angry, but Forrest Foster sure had his girls fooled.

After opening up to a 6-0 deficit against district opponent Brookhaven Academy, the Adams County Christian School head softball coach let his displeasure be known.

Foster slammed down the water bottle in his hand and chided his girls for not being into the game before the team went to bat in the bottom of the fourth.

One inning later, the Lady Rebels were trailing 7-0, but ACCS strung a few hits together, and suddenly things started rolling. The Lady Rebels came back and scored nine runs, then added another run in the sixth inning en route to a 10-7 win.

“When I was walking off the field, I said to myself, ‘What do I need to do to motivate them?’” Foster said. “It wasn’t a temper tantrum, it was just for show, But it motivated them.”

Senior first baseman Ashton Mason said the slamming of the drink was definitely a motivating factor, even if it was an act.

“We know when he gets serious, it’s time to get serious and win,” Mason said. “We weren’t hitting the ball, and when we did hit it, we hit it right to someone. We just weren’t into the game.”

The Lady Rebels were hitless during the first three innings of play, but an Ashleigh Williams double in the fifth got things started for ACCS. The double scored Tori Laird and Jessica Reynolds and triggered the comeback.

Brooke Runnels then scored on a double by Mason, and a double by Abby Givens brought home Mason. Givens scored on a single by Jordan Petty.

Pinch-runner Harley Martin crossed home plate on a fielder’s choice, Taylor Perkins also scored on a fielder’s choice, Reynolds scored on a single by Laird and a bases-loaded walk by Nikki Worthey brought in Laird, making it 9-7 ACCS.

With the lead in hand, Foster promised his girls in the dugout that he would treat them to Pizza Hut if they held on to win. The girls responded, jokingly singing the Krusty Krab Pizza song from the TV show “Spongebob Squarepants.”

“Krusty Krab Pizza is the pizza for you and me!” they chanted. Foster said it proved one thing about his team.

“It goes to show the way to motivate the ladies is food,” Foster joked.

Mason agreed with her coach.

“We are a food-eating kind of team,” Mason said. “He’ll provide the food if need be.”

Perkins got the start for ACCS, going four innings and giving up six runs on eight hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Runnels pitched the final three innings, giving up one run on four hits.

Brookhaven Academy would have needed to win by 14 runs in order to knock ACCS out of the playoffs. With the comeback victory, Foster said there’s added momentum after Tuesday night’s come-from-behind 5-4 win against Tensas Academy.

“It shows that when the girls are down, we have it in us to come back and make it interesting,” Foster said.

ACCS opens postseason play in the South State tournament at Timberton Park in Hattiesburg. The Lady Rebels will face Silliman Institute at 11 a.m. Saturday.