Coach Hicks picks up 300th career win

By Myra Bean

South Panola fastpitch softball head coach Ashleigh Hicks logged her 300th win as a coach in a 15-5 domination of Southaven Tuesday night. The 13-year Lady Tiger coach was not surprised at the win, but had forgotten how close she was to the milestone.

After South Panola had secured the win in its home opener, players quickly assembled to put on matching T-shirts and gather big balloons reading “300.” They also had a plaque, game ball, and banner to mark the occasion.

After pictures and a short ceremony,  Hicks was overwhelmed. “It was a good win over an always tough Southaven team. I knew I was getting close but I was not expecting this,” she said.

Some had thought the 300th win to come over the weekend when the team was scheduled to play in Hattiesburg, but that tournament was rained out.

That set up the chance for the coach to get number 300 in front of the home crowd with the big win against Southaven.

A Lady Tiger eight-run third inning put the game away. The teams were neck-and-neck and tied at one through the first two innings. South Panola batted through the lineup and started over before logging the third out.

Second baseman Bailey Russell got the inning going with a single and scored on catcher K.J. Hentz’s double to right center. Hentz advanced to third on third baseman’s Lena Grace Franklin’s sacrifice bunt.

Hentz scored on shortstop Molly Seay’s single to right center.

Designated hitter Tyler Hamby, right fielder Avery Seay and left fielder Bailey Ware loaded the bases on singles. Avery drove home her sister, Molly, for the 4-3 lead. Leadoff batter, first baseman Ali Cummins stroked a bases-clearing double to left field for the 7-3 lead.

Cummins scored on Russell’s single to right field. Russell scored the final run of the inning on Hentz’s single to right center. Cummins scored the Lady Tigers’ only run in the first inning to tie the game. She led at the plate going 3-for-4 with five RBIs, two doubles and two runs.

The Lady Tigers played two more innings to take the game with the 10-run mercy rule in the fifth inning, scoring three runs in the fourth and three in the fifth. In the fourth inning, Molly Seay singled and scored an unearned run on a second baseman error.

Tristan Goddard got on base on that same error. Ware pinch ran and scored on Cummins’ two RBI (run batted in) double. Makayla Ales also scored after getting on base on a single.

In the fifth, Hentz singled to right and Gracey Harbour came in to courtesy run for her and scored on Molly Seay’s single to right. Hamby drove home Franklin who had singled to get on base. Avery Seay drove home Molly for the winning run on a single with only one out.

Southaven scored one run in the first, two in the third and two in the fifth behind the combined pitching of Kaitlyn Tidwell and Rebekah Cook.

The Lady Tigers had 16 hits and two errors.

Other hitters were Hentz, 3-for-4, two RBIs, one double, two runs; Molly Seay, 3-for-4, three runs, two RBIs; Russell, 2-for-4, two runs, one RBI; Avery Seay, 2-for-4, two RBIs, one run; Ales, 2-for-3, one run; Franklin, 1-for-4, one run; and Hamby, 1-for-4, one run, one RBI, one walk.

The Lady Tigers traveled to Hernando yesterday but the results were not available at press time. They return to their home field Tuesday to sponsor Lake Cormorant in non-conference contests starting at 5 p.m. with the Jr. varsity, followed by the varsity.

Middle School

The Middle School fastpitch team defeated Senatobia in a double header Monday night, 15-0 and 9-3.  The will play their home opener Monday against Oxford at 5 and 6 p.m.