Production throughout the lineup and two-out rallies led Ethel to a 14-3 victory over Sebastopol that clinched the Region 5-1A championship for the Lady Tigers.
There were 10 players for Ethel in the game. All 10 hit safely, all 10 scored runs, and eight had RBIs. All 14 runs came with two outs, including eight in the fourth inning.
Coach Tyler McKinley said the team is nearing its peak. “We still have a little ways to go, but we're getting close.”
Brooke Mitchell went the distance in the circle in the five-inning game and led the Lady Tigers' 15-hit attack with three hits, three RBIs and two two runs scored. “I can't say enough about Brooke. She has done a really good job this year,” McKinley said.
Brailyn Rone, Karli Fortenberry and Jasmine Johnson each had two hits.
Ethel scored four unearned runs with two outs in the second, two coming on a single by Mitchell, then broke the game open with eight two-out runs in the fourth. Ten straight batters reached base on eight singles and two walks.
The Lady Tigers' final two runs came in the fifth, scoring on a two-out single by Rone.
Ethel beat McAdams twice last week, 12-0 and 24-0. Elana Whitt pitched seven hitless innings in the two games.
“This is their first year playing. They're trying to figure things out,” McKinley said of McAdams.
Ethel played Nanih Waiya Tuesday and has games with Noxapater Thursday, the final region game, and South Pontotoc, one of the state's best 4A teams, Friday.
“We're not going to see anybody tougher than South Pontotoc in the playoffs. They're going to give me a pretty good idea of where we are at,” McKinley said.
As region champion, Ethel has an opening round bye in the 1A playoffs. The Lady Tigers will play the winner of a series between the second-place team in 8-1A and the third place team from 6-1A in a best-of-three beginning April 29.
