The worst thing about senior day in any sport for a coach is the knowledge you won’t have those players next year.
That has become a reality for Noxapater High School fast-pitch softball coach Jodie Duran as her Lady Tigers have been working hard to replace the five seniors she lost off last year’s team.
So far, Duran says some of the younger player have stepped up to the task. “I feel that filling first base, pitcher, and a couple of outfield spots will be important,” Duran said. “So far, we seem to have filled those positions pretty well.”
Battling it out at first base right now are Caroline Swindle and Kelli Thomas, while Morgan Duran is penciled in at pitcher. Kaitlyn Sanborn is slated to be behind the plate, while the rest of the infield has freshman Laney Boatner at second, junior Nona Wilkes at shortstop and sophomore Marley Joiner at third.
Headed into the season the outfield is set to be made up of senior Addy Webb in left, senior Madison Riggs in center and seventh grader Jodie Wilkes in right.
After more than just a few weather delays, the Lady Tigers finally got to playing last week and are 1-2 on the young season.
“We were unable to practice for a week and half,” Duran said. “Then we didn’t get to play the classic. But we worked really hard and were able to play our first two home games.”
Noxapater is set to visit West Point on Thursday and Sebastopol on Friday before taking part in the Ethel Tournament on Saturday.
The Lady Tigers play in the same region has Nanih Waiya, Ethel, French Camp, and West Lowndes.
“As the season has begun we have pitched it and hit it pretty well,” Duran said.
Lady Tigers take wild win over Louisville
Fans of high scoring softball would have been enthralled by Noxapater’s first three games of the season, in particular the Lady Tigers’ 18-17 10-inning win over Louisville last Thursday.
The game was tied 11-11 after seven innings of play thanks to the Lady Tigers scratching across a run in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game.
LHS scored three in the eighth and Noxapater countered with three of its own. Louisville hit for a run in the ninth and again Noxapater responded with a run of its own. After the Lady Wildcats scored two in the top of the 10th, Noxapater scored three in the bottom to get the win.
The winning run scored in an odd way. After Kaitlyn Sanborn stroked a two-run double for Noxapater to tie the game at 17-17, the Lady Tigers had runners on second and third. The next batter struck out, but the catcher dropped the third strike and when the throw was made to first, Madison Riggs came racing in from third to score the winning run.
Noxapater had eight hits in the game, with Sanborn cracking two doubles and a single, scoring three runs and driving in six. Kelli Thomas was 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles for the Lady Tigers, while Jodie Wilkes and Marley Joiner each singled. Morgan Duran pitched nine innings for Noxapater, striking out 13 and walking only two.
The Lady Tigers also had two other games last week, falling to Starkville 15-10 and Sebastopol 14-4.
Sanborn had a double and single to lead Noxapater against Starkville, while Jodie Wilkes had two singles, Laney Boatner doubled, and Duran singled. Duran pitched all seven innings, recording 10 strikeouts.
On Friday Sebastopol scored nine runs in the third to break open a close game and cruise to the run-rule win. Sanborn and Boatner each had hits for Noxapater.
Noxapater was set to visit West Point on Thursday and Sebastopol on Friday before taking part in the Ethel Tournament on Saturday, facing Eupora at 2:30 p.m. an Leake Central at 4.
