By Angie Ledbetter

The first two games were all the South Panola fastpitch team (19-5) needed to advance to round two of the 6A playoffs as they downed Olive Branch 5-0, 5-2 over the weekend.

That set up Thursday night’s contest with the winner of the Desoto Central/Clinton series. Clinton won game 1 and game 2 and if necessary game 3 was played last night after being postponed Saturday for weather. Game time was not available at press time.

If Desoto Central wins it then the Lady Tigers will play at home Thursday and at Desoto Central Saturday.
If Clinton wins the Lady Tigers will be on the road Thursday night to Clinton and back at home Saturday.
In game one Friday at Olive Branch, Nicole Fullilove pitched a no hitter, fanned 10 and allowed  no walks facing 22 batters. On Saturday, Fullilove faced 25 batters, allowed three hits, no earned runs, struck out six, allowed no walks in the second game.

Lady Tigers head coach Ashleigh Hicks said, “I’ve never seen anyone take 13 balls since I’ve been coaching.”

Hicks said Olive Branch was a very scrappy team.

“They beat Southaven this year and Desoto Central only beat them by one run. Their pitcher is only 13 years old and they’re all very young,” she said.

South Panola 5, Olive Branch 0
South Panola came out with their bats on fire Friday in game one.

Lead off batter Amanda Ivy hit a double to center to start the frame, stole third and scored on Marla Rudd’s single. Fullilove singled making her way to first. Chloe Morgan entered the game as courtesy runner for Fullilove, stole second and scored on Hannah Moore’s single.

In top of the second, scoring runs were Madison Taylor and Mallory Myers. Brown scored the last run in top of the third.

South Panola 5, Olive Branch 2
In game two, it took four innings before the Lady Tigers crossed home plate.

Reid started the frame with a triple and finished as she stole home.

Savanna Williams singled and reached second on a passed ball. Myers singled.

With two on base, Ivy hit an RBI double driving home Williams. Myers scored on Rudd’s single. While Fullilove was at bat, Ivy stole home giving the Lady Tigers a 4-0 score.

In top of the fifth Olive Branch scored on a South Panola error. South Panola answered in bottom of the sixth with one run when Taylor scored. In top of the seventh Olive Branch first baseman Rachel Hamilton scored.

The Lady Tigers had 21 hits, five RBIs, two walks and three strikeouts in two games.

Leading at the plate, Marla Rudd went four-of-eight with one run and three RBIs (runs batted in).
Chresha Brown was three-of-five, with a double and one run.  Amanda Ivy went two-of-six with two runs, two doubles, one RBI.

Madison Taylor went three-of-five at the plate with two runs. At the plate five times, Savanna Williams had three hits with one run.

Mallory Myers went two-of-six with two runs. She received 13 pitches at one of her appearances.
Haley Reid was one-of-seven with a triple, one RBI and one run.

Fullilove had two hits and Hannah Moore, one.