Hatley’s Softball Team Prepares For Playoffs

AMORY, Miss. (WCBI) — Lady Tigers aiming for a deep postseason run.

The regular season officially came to a close for the Hatley Lady Tigers softball team.

After a great regular season, the team is now looking to build on that success heading into post season play.

“It’s indescribable,” said senior pitcher Jules Rimmer. “I knew before the season started it would be different than the past, and I’m grateful for that.”

“It’s been a pretty successful season for us so far,” adds head coach Cory Gray. “We’ve had a lot of tight games. We’ve had a lot of barn burner games. Lot of ups and downs so far, but overall the team has really come along.

Less than a month ago, the Lady Tigers won the Monroe County tournament. One of many goals they set out to begin the season. Their first in seven years.

“It was just a blessing to all of us,” said senior first baseman Kara Slade. “The goal was to go in and just get the job done.”

“Our teams in Monroe County they are excellent,” Rimmer said. “They are my friends and teammates from the summer and such, but we are all good ball clubs around here. It felt great to actually win it.”

“That’s something I wanted to accomplish since I got the job last year,” Coach Gray adds.  “And that was to win a county title in either slow pitch or fast pitch, or both, and to do that was just a huge confidence builder for our kids.”

The softball team has never won a state title in fast pitch. Though getting to the state title game and ending the drought is motivation enough, the team is anxious about the opportunity to be able to play at Mississippi State’s softball field if they were to make it to the state championship game.

“A big difference to me honestly,” Slade said. “I’ve never been to a college game there. I’ve only been to Jackson.”

“An awesome deal. To play on a collegiate field is just remarkable, and to play a state title or state championship at Mississippi State or play in Hattiesburg would just be unbelievable.

The play in round of the post season will begin on Friday.