Kosciusko’s fast-pitch softball team had one last tuneup for the postseason last week, and it was quite an impressive one.
The Lady Whippets earned five total victories against Nanih Waiya, Noxubee County and North Pontotoc, and they did so with shutouts in every win.
Kosy blanked Nanih Waiya 12-0 and 8-0 on Monday; won twice by identical 15-0 scores over Noxubee on Tuesday; then blanked North Pontotoc 1-0 in eight innings Thursday.
Those five victories lifted Kosciusko to 23-2 on the season. The Region 4-4A champion Lady Whippets finished 8-0 in division play.
That first-place finish earned them a bye into the second round of the MHSAA Class 4A state playoffs this week, where the Lady Whippets were scheduled to battle Mooreville. Kosciusko was set to go to Mooreville Tuesday for Game 1 of the series and will host Game 2 (and Game 3, if necessary) Thursday.
Mooreville, the Region 2-4A runner-up, defeated Clarksdale in last week’s first round of the playoffs.
Kosciusko’s five shutouts last week started with Katie Mitchell tossing a five-inning, 1-hitter with seven strikeouts in the 12-0 win over Nanih Waiya.
Abigail Myers had a pair of triples, two runs and an RBI and Kelly Hood tripled, singled, scored twice and knocked in two runs for the Lady Whippets – who scored eight times in the fourth inning.
Madeline McCown tripled, scored and drove in two runs and Maddy Gilmore tripled, scored and had one RBI. Makenzie Ryals singled and drove in two runs; Josie Meggs singled, scored twice and had one RBI; AnnaLeigh Jones singled, scored and had an RBI; Sarah Caroline Henderson singled; Brooke Mitchell, Campbell Blaine and Laken Milner all scored once.
In the second game, Gilmore struck out 11 in a complete-game performance, allowing just three hits in an 8-0 win.
Myers singled, doubled, scored and had an RBI and McCown had two hits, two RBIs and a run to lead Kosy.
Gilmore also had two hits and an RBI; Henderson had a single; Meggs and Brooke Mitchell scored twice each; Blaine and Milner scored once each; and Ryals and Jones both had an RBI.
In the first 15-0 win over Noxubee, Henderson threw three innings and struck out four while giving up one hit to earn the win.
Kosciusko had 10 hits and nine walks, with Jones hitting a home run and driving in two runs to lead the way.
Gabbie Kelley doubled, scored three times and drove in two; Meggs doubled, scored twice and drove in one; Gilmore doubled and scored.
Myers singled, scored twice and had an RBI; Kathryn Clare Schuler, McCown and Ryals all singled, scored and had an RBI; Meredith Dean singled and drove in one; Henderson singled and scored; Hood, Brooke Mitchell and Katie Mitchell all scored.
Myers homered, scored twice and drove in three runs and Gabbie Kelley had two hits and two runs in the second 15-0 win over Noxubee.
Gracie Williams doubled and scored; Schuler and Brooke Mitchell both singled, scored and had an RBI; Henderson singled, scored twice and drove in one; Alexandra West singled and scored; Katy Morgan Rutherford singled.
Ryals scored twice, while Dean and Milner scored once each. Lizzie Kate Jones, Maicee Coleman, Anna Grace Mancell and Karmen Cockrell all added RBIs.
Emmagail Kelley was the winning pitcher, combining with Schuler and Bailey Katherine Thompson on a no-hitter with three strikeouts.
Thursday at North Pontotoc, Hood drove in Brooke Mitchell with the game’s only run in the top of the eighth inning of a 1-0 win.
Katie Mitchell doubled while Hood, Gilmore, McCown and Ryals each had singles.
Gilmore was the winning pitcher, throwing four innings of relief with eight strikeouts while allowing three hits. Katie Mitchell threw the first four innings and fanned five while allowing just two hits.
