It took everything they had, but Niceville is district champions once again.

The Lady Eagles edged Gulf Breeze 4-0 on April 30 to claim their fourth straight district title and the 18th under head coach Danny Hensley.

For five-and-a-half innings, the game was a pitcher’s duel between Niceville’s Chloe Bailey and Gulf Breeze’s Jessica Jager. Neither team could push a runner past second base.

Then the sixth happened.

Valerie Malley opened the inning with a single. Natalie Miller struck out, but Annabelle Shackelford drew a walk to put two on. After Kaylee McKissack struck out, a wild pitch advanced both runners — pinch runner Layla Hughes to third, marking the first time all game any runner had reached the bag.

Gulf Breeze intentionally walked Sydney Hann, who already had two hits, to load the bases.

That brought up Noles, who wasn’t even in the starting lineup as she rehabbed an ankle injury. After taking a strike, she launched a grand slam to put Niceville up 4-0.

“She’s been plagued with injuries this year. I couldn’t be happier for a kid than I am for her,” Hensley said. “She re-aggravated her ankle. She was telling me in the sixth and seventh, ‘If you need me, I can go.’ She’s always been a big clutch hitter for us.”

Noles said she didn’t even realize the situation when she stepped in.

“I just got back from injury. I got in the box. I didn’t even know bases were loaded,” Noles said. “I tried to make contact, and I felt it right off the bat.”

Bailey took care of the rest. She finished with a perfect game, striking out 11 and facing the minimum 21 batters.

“Chloe kept competing. She struck out a bunch,” Hensley said. “It was a perfect time in the district championship to log a perfect game.”

Bailey said the moment caught her by surprise.

“I feel really good. I didn’t even know I was throwing a no-hitter,” Bailey said.

For the second straight year, Niceville will enter the postseason as the No. 1 seed.

“It’s huge,” Hensley said. “We’ve still got to play a lot of good ball, but any time you can make them come to you is a huge advantage.”