The Ethel Tigers claimed their first Region 6-1A title since 2008 with a region clinching 5-3 win over Sebastopol last Thursday night. With the win, the Tigers moved to 5-1 in Region 6-1A play. The Tigers defeated Sebastopol last Tuesday night as well by a score of 12-4 and defeated Scott Central on Monday 10-0 to move to 18-5 overall with one regular season game against West Lowndes remaining that was played on Tuesday night.
“This team learned how to win last year and we are taking last year and bringing it to this year and we are finding ways to win,” said Ethel head coach Chris Schuster. Our hitting has come a long way in the last three or four weeks and we have grown up throughout the year and I hate to say this again, but it goes back to last year, because once you get that confidence like we did last year, it really doesn’t matter what the score is. We play seven innings and you are going to have to beat us for seven innings. You can’t beat us in one or two innings, you have to beat us in all seven.”
In last Tuesday night’s region contest with the Sebastopol Bobcats Hayden Burns got the start and yielded four runs (two earned) on four hits and three walks while striking out 10. Hayes Wood finished the contest by allowing no runs on two hits while striking out two in one inning of work. The offensive leaders for the Tigers were Tyson Steen with a single, two runs scored and an RBI; Hayden Beall with two singles, a double, one run scored and an RBI; Burns with a single, one run scored and an RBI; Wood with a single, one run scored and an RBI; Alex Schuster with a single, one run scored and an RBI; Brady Odom with a single and an RBI and Cody Weeks with a single and an RBI.
The Tigers traveled to Sebastopol on Thursday night and Wood got the start and win for the Tigers by allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits while walking none and striking out seven Bobcats in 5.1 innings pitched. Tyson Steen got the save by pitching 1.2 innings, yielding no hits, walks or runs. The offensive leaders for the Tigers were Tyson Steen with a double, single, one run scored and an RBI; Beall with a sacrifice; Burns with a single and an RBI; Wood with two singles, one run scored and an RBI; Schuster with a double, one run scored and an RBI; Odom with a single; Elijah Steen with a single and one run scored and Weeks with a single.
The Tigers hosted Scott Central on Monday night and Tyson Steen got the start and win, allowing no runs or walks on just two hits while striking out five Rebels. Burns pitched the final inning and struck out all three hitters he faced. The offensive leaders for the Tigers were Tyson Steen with a single, two runs scored and an RBI; Beall with two singles, one run scored and an RBI; Burns with a single, one run scored and an RBI; Wood with a single, one run scored and an RBI; Schuster with a single, one run scored and an RBI; Odom with a single and an RBI and Weeks with a single and an RBI.
The Tigers will host Sacred Heart in the first round of the MHSAA Class 1A South State Playoffs in a best-of-three series beginning on Friday night at 7 p.m. Ethel will then travel to Sacred Heart (Hattiesburg) on Saturday for Game 2 at 7 p.m. and will be back at home for Game 3 on Monday at 7 p.m. if necessary.
