Two comebacks – one could be considered incredible – enabled Kosciusko to win its first state championship in fast-pitch softball.
The Lady Whippets defeated Lawrence County 9-7 and 5-2 at the USM Softball Complex for the MHSAA 4A championship.
“They will not give up,” Kosciusko coach Tony Terry said of his team. “They were down in both of these state championship games in a big venue like this where it's easy to get nervous and lose your composure. But they don't. It's a credit to the way they practice every day.”
Kosciusko seemed dead and buried in the opener of the best-of-three series, trailing 7-1 entering the seventh. The Lady Whippets scored six runs to tie the score, then won it with two in the ninth.
“That was a game for the ages,” Terry said. “We were having good at bats and we were working counts in every inning. It was just a case that we were not getting the big hit.
“In the seventh inning, it just snowballed and we did an incredible job with it.”
Abigail Myers had the big hit during the six-run rally, a two-run double that pulled Kosciusko within a run. She scored the tying run on a wild pitch.
Myers struck again in the ninth. She doubled home a run to put Kosciusko ahead 8-7, then scored on a single by Kathryn Schuler.
The second game was scoreless until Lawrence County scored two runs in the top of the fifth. Josey Nations led off with a 205-foot double to the base of the left field fence. A single by Ty Davis produced one run and a second run came in on a double by Julianna Johnson.
Terry had some words of encouragement as his players came off the field. “I told them that you get limited opportunities to do things like this, to play for a state championship. Even though they had a 2-0 lead, I told them they have three innings to win a state championship. All you have to do is score three runs.”
It took only one inning to score those three runs.
Kelly Hood singled leading off the bottom of the fifth, Josie Meggs reached on an error and Maddy Gilmore walked, loading the bases with nobody out. The next play was the biggest of the game and one of the strangest.
Lawrence County second baseman Ashley Holden grabbed a low line drive off the bat of Katie Mitchell. It looked like pinch runner Brooke Mitchell would be doubled off first, but the throw bounced off her back. Hood tagged up and headed home. When the throw went over the head of catcher Skyler Speights, Meggs kept running to score from second, tying the game, and Mitchell would up at third.
Myers followed with a fly to right. The throw home from Johnson beat Mitchell, but there was a collision and Speights was unable to hold onto the ball, allowing Mitchell to score the go ahead run.
Singles by Makenzie Ryals and Meggs and three Lawrence County errors – the Lady Cougars had nine – resulted in two insurance runs in the sixth.
Gilmore went the distance for the win. She allowed nine hits and walked four, but was tough in the clutch, stranding 13 runners, at least one every inning.
“She was like a bulldog out there on the mound,” Terry said.
“I just kind of threw it in the zone,” Gilmore said. “I knew they were going to hit it, but I knew my defense had my back.”
The two biggest plays behind her were turned in by Meggs at shortstop and Madeline McCown in centerfield. With two outs in the second, Lawrence County runners at first and second took off on a 3-2 pitch to Nations. She hit a liner that looked like it was headed into left center to score at least one run, but Meggs made a diving catch.
With the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, Speights sent a drive to center that was corralled by McCown.
Gilmore faced one last threat in the seventh. Two singles brought the tying run to the plate with two outs. But Holden popped up to Annaleigh Jones at second, setting off a Lady Whippet celebration.
The championship was the next step for a team that won 108 games the past four years. In 2015 and 2016, Kosciusko suffered a tough loss in the decisive game of the North State final, 10-9 to Senatobia and 7-6 to West Lauderdale. The Lady Whippets reached the championship series last year, but were swept by defending champion North Pike.
“When we won the North State this year, the celebration was much more restrained,” Terry said. “Last year, I think we were just happy to be here. This year, their full intention was to win it.”
He had praise for his four seniors, Myers, Ryals, Sarah Henderson and Gabbie Kelley. “The four of them are the roots of this team from a leadership stand point. They keep people motivated. They keep people pointed in the right direction, which is what you want your seniors to do.”
Gilmore led the team offensively with a .468 average, eight doubles, four triples, a homer and 43 RBIs. Meggs batted .391 and Hood .390.
Gilmore and Katie Mitchell, both juniors, shared the pitching load. Gilmore was 12-2 with a 1.06 earned run average and Mitchell was 17-2 with a 1.27 ERA.
Kosciusko finishes 31-4 and Lawrence County 30-4-1.
