The Choctaw County softball team has clinched first place in Region 3-3A and is scheduled to begin the MHSAA playoffs April 24 against either the second place team from Region 1 or the third place team from Region 4. Games played Monday and Tuesday determined who those teams are.
The MHSAA format gives region winners a bye while second and third place teams play in the opening round. All series are best of three.
Choctaw County dominated 3-3A. The Lady Chargers were 7-0 in region play prior to a game Monday against Charleston and had outscored the opponents 162-4. The closest game was a 12-0 victory over Charleston.
The Lady Chargers lost their only game last week 5-0 against Philadelphia, but coach Lance Thomas was upbeat about his team's performance against a strong team. The game was scoreless for five innings before Philadelphia broke through with a pair of runs in the sixth inning off Lady Charger pitcher Akira Taylor.
No. 1 pitcher Lizzie Thomas, the coach's daughter, sat out the game after suffering a mild concussion while struck by a line drive in an earlier game with Philadelphia. She has been cleared to return to action.
Taylor went the distance on the mound and coach Thomas thought she handled herself well as a ninth grader against a very tough opponent. "I'm really happy," he said. "This was her first full game and she did well.”
The Lady Chargers were to play Starkville Tuesday and will conclude the regular season Friday at Ethel.
