By Angie Ledbetter

It only took five innings for the South Panola Lady Tiger’s fastpitch softball team to take care of business in the fifth Annual Strike Out For Cancer game Tuesday night as they shut out the Grenada Lady Chargers 10-0 for their first division game.

Last year when the two teams met for the benefit game at home the score was a little different when the Lady Tigers won 6-2.

This year’s game was scoreless until the Lady Tigers exploded in the bottom of the second for eight runs on five hits.

Haley Reid, running for Nicole Fullilove who had reached on an error, scored when Crystal Contreras walked to force in the first run.

The inning was also highlighted by a Christa Brown two-run single to score Lauren Calvert and Lindsey Calvert.

Other scorers in the inning include a Crystal Contreras run on a Marla Rudd fielder’s choice and an Amanda Ivy single to drive home Brown. Ivy is a MaxPreps Player of the week for this past week.
Meri Morgan Fortune, a previous MaxPreps Player of the Week, singled to load the bases. Caroline Dickins singled to drive home Rudd and Fortune for the last runs of the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, Ivy knocked a triple to right center and later scored on a squeeze play.

The last run of the night was by Contreras who singled and later scored.

The Lady Tigers had seven hits, left five on base, had one error and nine earned runs.

The Lady Chargers had one hit, left five on base and had one error.

Fullilove picked up the division win for the Lady Tigers. She had eight strikeouts on 80 pitches.

Lady Tiger head coach Ashleigh Hicks said, “I asked the girls before the game to play their best ball and control the game. They did exactly what I asked them to do offensively and defensively. This was one of the games that we had complete control in and that’s what I like to see happen. Nicole had an excellent game again also.”

In the past Grenada has been one of the top teams in the district.

“Grenada always play their best ball against us,” Hicks said. “I think us coming out and taking control was the key. If you let Grenada stay in the game they’ll come back and get you.”

As far as the support for the benefit Hicks was excited.

“The community supports us so good and it was so nice to look up in the stands tonight and all you could see was people everywhere. They were sitting and standing everywhere so that shows the girls are working hard. The community is supporting them not only money wise but out here watching them and we love for the bleachers to be full.”

Jr. Varsity

The junior varsity team defeated Grenada also 3-1.

Scoring runs for the Lady Tigers were Morgan Parker, Kaylen Ware and Caitlin Seay.

The Lady Tigers game against Southaven was postponed yesterday due to wet fields at both venues. The game will be rescheduled. If the fields allow, the Lady Tigers will host St. Benedict today at 5 p.m.

There has been a schedule change. The home game Thursday, March 29 against Lake Cormorant has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 27 at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.