Though the immediate future of high school softball in the state of Mississippi is still to be determined, the state has prepared the postseason all-star game with a trio of area athletes representing as some of the best in the state.
The Cornerstone Rehabilitation All-Star Fast Pitch Softball games are put on by the Mississippi Association of Coaches and will be held on Friday, May 29, pending the recent reactions by athletics around the country over COVID-19 (coronavirus). Webster county is usually in the mix for these events and three players will take part as East Webster’s Lizz Massey and Whitney Winter and Eupora’s Meleah Pogue will get opportunities in May.
Winter and Pogue were named to the MAC’s 1A/2A/3A North Team in the All-Star game as the juniors will get a springboard into their final seasons by competing against some of the best in the state.
Pogue has been a part of the Eupora softball team for the last three years and a big part in Amir Hunt building his team into a Class 2A north contender each year. She’s been able to play in the field and even pitch, but her strength has been at the plate.
It’s not the first time that Hunt and the Lady Eagles have been represented and the coach doesn’t take that for granted when his players get recognized.
“That’s a big deal. That’s the premiere all-star game for high school softball players,” Hunt said. “A lot of input goes into choosing those girls and its the best of the best for 2A softball. For Meleah to make that game says a lot about her potential and what softball coaches think of her.”
Winter has been helping the East Webster Lady Wolverines her entire high school career and the last two seasons has been a starter at first base. Each season the versatile athlete seems to add more and more to her arsenal and it’s brought her to the forefront of one of the top players in the state in Class 2A.
She won’t be the only player from the Lady Wolverines that will get a chance to showcase her skills as sophomore pitcher Lizz Massey will step in the circle in the Rising Stars game for the top sophomores in the state. Unlike the regular all-star game for juniors that consists of two games for the six classifications, this game covers all classifications which means she’s considered among the top 15 sophomores in the north half of the state.
“It’s good for them to represent our school. Whitney is a junior and has been playing since seventh grade and working hard and it’s paid off to get to play in that,” coach Lee Berryhill said. “Lizz has been pitching since seventh grade and will represent us as well. We’re proud of them and we know they’ll represent us well on and off the field.”
Both All-Star Games will have a two-game set starting with the Rising Stars on May 29 at 4 p.m., immediately followed by the 1A/2A/3A game. They’ll play games on Saturday, May 30 as well with the Rising Stars at 10 a.m. and the 1A/2A/3A following at Noon. All games will be played at Jones College in Ellisville.
