Matt Vines

SULPHUR – While the Quitman softball team may have been looking for their first-ever softball championship, appearing in last year’s state title game had to be an advantage.

Quitman scored five runs in the first two innings Saturday and topped Stanley, 8-1, in the Division V Non-Select championship bout.

Stanley pitcher Paige Campbell had been on fire through the playoffs, not allowing more than three runs to any of the Lady Panthers’ three previous playoff opponents.

But Quitman struck for three first-inning runs as Stanley got in a hole in which they couldn’t dig out.

Those three runs came before Stanley recorded an out as an error, a single, and an intentional walk led to a Hallie Kate Pullig three-run double.

Two Lady Panthers got aboard in the first inning via a walk and hit-by-pitch, but Stanley couldn’t bring either home.

Quitman widened its lead to 5-0 in the second inning with its second consecutive double as Maggie Guyotte drove in a pair.

Stanley also put a pair of runners on in the third inning, but the Lady Panthers ultimately couldn’t ding Quitman pitcher Cali Deal until the fifth inning when Riley Palmer doubled in Madeline Castillo.

That sliced Quitman’s lead to 7-1, and the Lady Wolverines answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth for the 8-1 score.

Palmer recorded two of Stanley’s three hits with Castillo notching the other.

Deal issued four walks, including two to Jaci Springer, but she struck out 11 batters.

Campbell allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Palmer pitched 2 1/3 relief innings with two runs (one earned) on three hits and three walks.

Stanley was making its third-ever appearance in the state championship game, winning a title in 1994 and appearing in the title game in 2017.

The Lady Panthers should be a contender for years to come with just two seniors on the 2024 squad – Christian Barton and Aubrey Hubier.

Stanley’s rallying cry of #AllForAubs after Hubier died in an UTV accident this past September could certainly be heard again in Sulphur next season with the large number of returning Lady Panthers.

Stanley, 8, Anacoco 3

Stanley used a similar fast start to overwhelm Anacoco in the semifinals Friday.

The Lady Panthers pushed across four runs in the second inning and never appeared to be in serious jeopardy.

Springer bunted in the first run with Palmer driving in two more runs with a double for a 3-0 lead. An Alyssa Gooden RBI single closed out the scoring in the inning.

Campbell effectively navigated the Anacoco lineup with just one run allowed in the first five innings before Anacoco sliced Stanley’s lead to 5-3 in the sixth inning.

But Stanley rebuilt that edge in the bottom of the frame with a Gooden RBI single and a Karlee Jo Moton two-RBI single.

Gooden (2-for-3, 2 RBIs) and Moton (2-for-3, two RBIs, two runs scored) led the way while Palmer added two RBIs.

Campbell finished with three runs allowed (one earned) on three hits and five walks with nine strikeouts.