CLASS 2A SOFTBALL

Rhodes, Quitman take down Poyen

BENTON -- Freshman Kassie Rhodes provided the power and the pitching to lead Quitman to a 7-4 victory Poyen in the 2A state softball championship game at the Benton Sports Complex.

Rhodes slugged a three-run home run and limited Poyen to eight hits as the Lady Bulldogs claimed their first state softball title.

It was a game that started as a slugfest and ended as a pitchers' duel. On the strength of home runs from Rhodes and junior Trinaty Ellington, Quitman (23-5) led 6-3 heading into the bottom of the second.

Rhodes, the tournament's MVP, struck out three and walked only one. Poyen junior Kindi Puckett struck out six and walked two.

"Kassie did a phenomenal job," Quitman Coach Stephanie Davis said. "I always tease her and tell her all the time that it takes her one inning to get settled. That seems to be the factor for her. After that, she seems to go to work."

It took two innings for Puckett to reach the same kind of effectiveness. She allowed 10 hits, but only 3 over the final 5 innings.

"[Pluckett] calmed down and I think she learned where [the umpire] was going to give her a call," Poyen Coach Blue Kesterson said. "After she did that, she started attacking those zones."

Quitman jumped out early in the top of the first. With one out, Gracie Smith singled and moved to third on Emily Williams' double. Rhodes followed with a three-run home run over the center field wall.

Poyen (27-5) countered with three runs of its own in the bottom of the first. Puckett began the inning with a single and Lacy Beaver doubled. Lorren Austin's fielder's choice RBI and a throwing error cut the lead to 3-2. Lanie Bennings' drove in the Lady Indians' final run of the inning on a fielder's choice.

Quitman took the lead for good in the top of the second when Marley Johnson's single was followed by Ellington's home run to center. Lillie Webb, who reached on a single, scored the inning's final run on an error to make it 6-3.

"I was surprised it started as a slugfest right off," Kesterson said. "I thought it would be a pitchers' duel all the way through. ... Give Quitman all the credit. They're a great team and they made a few plays that we didn't."

"I think we were all nervous," Rhodes said. "After that first inning when we scored runs, that kind of helped. When we went ahead 6-3, that gave us some room to breathe."

Poyen did not threaten again until the sixth inning when Kyla Puckett's hard ground ball hit the third-base bag and went for a double. Madison Wilfong followed with a single and Bennings made it 6-4 with a run-scoring single. But Poyen's rally died when Madison Edwards flew out to right and Kaylei Hopkins hit into an unusual 3-5-4 double play, which started when first baseman Marley Johnson stopped a hard-hit, one-bounce shot.

"That was very big," Rhodes said of Johnson's play. "We stole their excitement. They didn't have any excitement left."

"I credit that play to my girls," Davis said. "They're always heads-up. They are all in on every play."

Smith, Ellington and Webb all had two hits each for Quitman. Kyla Puckett was 3 for 3 for Poyen with a double and a run scored.

Sports on 05/19/2018

Upcoming Events