It wasn’t as if Quitman softball coach Justin Dodson didn’t expect his girls to be a good offensive team this year. After all, every starter but one returned this year from the team compiled a .361 batting average in 2021 and averaged a little over 11 runs per game.
Thought they hit the ball last year? Check out the production so far this year that has led to resounding victories in every game played. In four games, Quitman has already scored 65 runs. That is a 16.25 runs per game average.
Even more impressively, Quitman has rung up the gaudy total of runs in just 15 innings of play. That is an incredible 4.33 runs per inning average. Multiply that by a normal seven inning game and WOW!!! Talk about some serious scoring.
The reason Quitman has batted so few times is three of the four games have been cut short due to the “mercy rule.” That is where a game is called when a team is ahead by 15 runs or more after the team that is behind has had three at bats or down by 10 runs after five at bats.
Only once in four starts has Quitman had to play a full seven innings. That was last Thursday in the 14-6 victory over Class AA Beekman Charter. In the 17-1 victory over Saline and the 18-1 mauling of Class AA Mangham this past Friday, Quitman batted in only two innings. In the season opener against Class AA Lakeside the Lady Wolverines went to the plate five times before walking away with a 16-4 victory.
Big innings have been the catalyst to having the games cut short. Maybe big isn’t the right description. It should be said REALLY big innings. Against Lakeside, the Lady Wolverines put up 13 runs in the top of the fourth to break open a close 3-2 contest. Against Saline in it was back-to-back 8 and 9 run innings to open the game. After falling behind for the first time all year, Quitman range up 12 runs in the bottom of the fifth and against Mangham, tallied 10 runs in the first innings and 8 more in the second. That is doing damage…. Serious damage!
Who is responsible for all this offense? Well, everyone! There is not a player that has had at least ten plate appearances this season hitting below .375 or has below a .500 on base percentage (OBP). Also, every single player on the roster has drawn at least one walk.
Maddie Kay “Big Bopper” Brymer leads the team with 8 hits and a robust .727 batting average and two homeruns. Madeline Vail is right behind with a .700 batting average and is the team leader with 3 doubles, 4 extra base hits (adding her “round tripper”), 12 runs scored and a sterling .813 OBP.
Speed merchant, Madison Chaplin, who was among the national leaders in stolen bases last year, is at it again this season having already swiped seven in seven attempts and Averie Williams leads with 10 RBI.
Maggie Guyotte is just one behind with 9 “ribbies” and has drawn a walk a team best 7 times. The freshman obviously knows the strike zone well. She should, as has started every game to date on the mound where she has struck out 26 batters in 17 innings of work to open the year with a 4-0 mark.
Additional contributors are:
Anna Leach – .500 batting average, 6 runs scored
Marley Bell – .444 batting average, 5 runs scored, 3 RBI
Karley Huckaby – .400 batting average, 6 walks, 5 runs scored, 4 RBI
Skylar Hall – .375 batting average, 4 runs scored, 4 stolen bases
Cassidy Davis – .333 batting average, 3 runs scored, 2 hit by pitches
Addison Fenn – 2 RBI, 1 run scored
AREA PREP BASEBALL/SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
(WEDNESDAY – SATURDAY)
| DATE | TEAMS PLAYING | B/S | TIME |
| Thursday | Weston vs Delhi Charter (Downsville Tourney) | Baseball | 6:30 |
| Thursday | JHHS at Grace Christian | Baseball | 5:00 |
| Thursday | Quitman at Ruston | Softball | 5:30 |
| Thursday | Doyline at JHHS | Softball | 4:00 |
| Friday | Ringgold at Saline (DH) | Softball | 4:30 |
| Friday | Weston at Choudrant Tourney | Softball | TBA |
| Friday | Quitman vs Buckeye (Grant Tourney) | Softball | 7:15 |
| Friday | Weston vs Woodlawn (Downsville Tourney) | Baseball | 6:30 |
| Friday | Quitman at Grant | Baseball | 6:30 |
| Saturday | Buckeye at Quitman | Baseball | 11:00 |
| Saturday | Weston vs Downsville (Downsville Tourney | Baseball | 2:30 |
| Saturday | Saline at Hicks | Baseball | 1:00 |
| Saturday | Quitman vs Neville (Grant Tourney) | Softball | 11:00 |
| Saturday | Quitman vs Georgetown (Grant Tourney) | Softball | 3:00 |
| Saturday | Weston at Choudrant Tourney | Softball | TBA |
To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE
