The softball team from Quitman and Weston High School both played at the QHS “Small” Tournament held on Friday and Saturday on the campus of Quitman High School to very different results as the Lady Wolverines won all four of their contests and WHS dropped all three of their games.
Quitman, the top ranked team in Class B, now sports a 9-1 overall record after beating Rosepine 2-1 and Class 5A Benton 7-1 on Friday before following that up with an 11-0 win over Class 5A Ruston and a 9-3 victory over Zwolle on Saturday. The Lady Wolves fell to 3-6 on the year after falling 18-1 to Ruston on Friday and losing to Rosepine and Benton on Saturday by 13-1 and 30-6 margins.
Friday, March 14
Quitman 2 Rosepine 1: Breelyn Boone, who had entered as a courtesy runner for Kinsley Ponder after she opened the bottom of the first inning with a double, scored on an sacrifice grounder by Hallie Kate Pullig in the first and Cali Deal crossed home in the third on Anna Leach’s RBI single for all the runs that Quitman would need thanks to a three hit, 0 earned run, gem pitched by Maggie Guyotte.
Ruston 18 Weston 1: Nine extra base hits by the Lady Bearcats over the first three innings spelled doom for the Lady Wolves. Carly Jo Griffin got a hit and scored a run while Carlynn Waters got an RBI with Weston’s other hit of the contest called early per the “mercy rule”.
Quitman 7 Benton 1: The Lady Wolverines broke open the game by scoring 7 runs over the final three innings in the battle between #1 in Class B and #2 in Division I among “non-select” schools. After four innings it was a scoreless pitching duel, before Quitman got to Benton starter Bayleigh Moniz with two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth and four more in the bottom of the sixth. Cali Deal picked up the win for Quitman by not allowing an earned run in 7 innings and compiling a new season high 15 strikeouts. It was also Deal who got the scoring started by stroking a double in the fourth inning and scoring when Anna Leach’s bunt was misplayed. Karley Huckaby then followed with single to score Leach who had gone all the way to third on the error. The score went to 3-0 the next inning when Brenna Lamkin opened the frame with a hit and scored on a double by Hallie Kate Pullig. The final four QHS runs came about when Huckaby reached on an error, Zoee Williams and Briley Bowers hit back-to-back singles and then after an out, Kinsley Ponder and Maggie Guyotte hit consecutive singles.
Saturday, March 15
Rosepine 13 Weston 1: After both teams scored a run in the first inning, Rosepine broke things open with a ten-spot in the bottom of the second. The Lady Wolves got their run thanks to a leadoff single by Carlynn Waters and a two out double by Rachel Bandy, who was the hard luck loser after giving up 11 runs with only one being earned due to five Weston errors.
Quitman 11 Ruston 0: The Lady Wolverines gave Class 5A Ruston “double trouble” as Kinsley Ponder, Brenna Lamkin, Anna Leach, Zoee Williams, and Briley Bowers all smashed two baggers. Zoee Williams and Karley Huckaby took advantage by plating four and three runs respectively with base hits. Maggie Guyotte, Hallie Kate Pullig, Leach and Huckaby also scored two runs each. Cali Deal struck out 10 over six innings for her 4th win of the year.
Benton 30 Weston 6: Taking advantage of 10 hits and 23 base on ball by either walks or hit batters, the Lady Tigers scored a new season high in runs. Davynee Bearden, Carly Jo Griffith, Molly Beaubouef, Hailey Chatham, Penelope Ferguson and Teegan Hall all scored runs in the third inning for Weston.
Quitman 9 Zwolle 3: The Lady Wolverines methodically pulled away by scoring two runs in both the first and second inning before adding four more in the third frame. Kinsley Ponder led the offensive attack with 3 hits in 4 at bats, including a pair of doubles while knocking in two and scoring a run. Karley Huckaby (RBI, RS) also got a pair of hits while Maggie Guyotte got a hit, knocked in two and scored a run. Zoee Williams (RBI, RS) and Cali Deal (RS) smacked a double each while Anna Leach got a hit and scored a run and Hallie Kate Pullig contributed an RBI. Brenna Lamkin also scored a run but hit was her performance on the mound that stood out as the freshman struck out a career high 14 batters for the complete game win, her third of the season against no losses.
NEXT UP! Both Quitman and Weston will be in action this Tuesday – Thursday at the Jackson Parish Recreation Department Sports Complex for the 2025 District 1B Tournament, that will decide the final district standings for all teams.