Ethel softball had two impressive victories last week with strong pitching performances. The Lady Tigers defeated 5-1A opponent Noxapater 19-1 and South Pontotoc, a strong 4A team, 10-0.
Elena White allowed three hits and no earned runs, with nine strikeouts, against Noxapater.
Ethel took a quick 2-0 lead in the first on a two-out single by Emily Mitchell and an inside-the-park homer by Brailyn Rone. The Lady Tigers kept pouring it on with two in the second, two in the third, one in the fifth and three in the sixth, followed by a nine-run seventh that included a bases loaded triple by White, singles by Brooke Mitchell, Meredith Moudy and Lizzy Rae Ellington, two walks, a hit batter and three errors.
Noxapater scored an unearned run in the sixth.
Ethel had another big seventh inning against South Pontotoc, breaking up a close game with seven runs. Brooke Mitchell pitched a one-hitter and Rone tripled. Most of the runs resulted from walks and hit batters.
It was only the fifth loss for South Pontotoc, which was without some key players because the game was the same evening as the school prom.
A game scheduled for Monday with Vardaman was rained out and will not be made up. The Lady Tigers played 5-1A foe Nanih Waiya Tuesday.
Coach Tyler McKinley will attempt to add a game prior to playoffs beginning April 29. “I don't like layoffs. I've never liked layoffs,” he said. “It will give us a chance to rest, but you don't want to go that long.”
Ethel received an opening round bye as region champion
