Lady Eagles strive to continue state-tournament run
With eight starters returning from a team that reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals in 2023, Mayflower’s Lady Eagles could go even further in 2024. “We graduated two starters that we will miss, but we still have the team to compete with anyone,” said Jeff Hill, 62-24 entering his fourth year atop the program. “Our girls were disappointed with our state quarterfinal finish, especially knowing that we beat both very good state-finalist teams (Booneville and Atkins) during the year.
“We have a tough schedule that should prepare us for any team that we run into in the postseason.”
After falling to Hackett in the state quarterfinals, Mayflower finished 27-4, runner-up in the 3A-5 Conference and champion of the 3A-3 Regional Tournament.
Returning starters include senior catcher Bella Immel, who hit .398 last season; junior pitcher/center fielder Kylee Branscum (.485, 5-0 in the circle with a 2.62 ERA); junior third baseman Tori Barksdale (.453); junior Alyssa Haggins (.435), who moves from second base to shortstop; junior pitcher/first baseman Mychal Duvall (.366, 5-2 in the circle with a 2.45 ERA); sophomore pitcher/outfielder Ruby Otts (.398 with a team-leading eight home runs as a freshman); sophomore Josie Scott (.250), who moves from the outfield to second; and sophomore outfielder Miranda Leslie (.333).
“Kylee Branscum is a left-handed slapper with great speed,” Hill said. “She always puts the ball in play. She struck out only three times last year against some great pitching. Ruby Otts has great power, and I only expect better things as she matures and hits the weight room more. Tori Barksdale hits a lot of hard line drives and grounders. She’s a very strong girl.”
Branscum and Haggins are both very fast and smart baserunners, the coach said. Defense is a Lady Eagle strength, he said. “Tori Barksdale is one of the best third basemen in the state,” Hill said. “She reacts quickly and gets rid of the ball quickly. Bella Immel is great behind the plate, a great blocker of balls in the dirt, and she has a strong arm to control opposing baserunners.”
Pitching depth is another strength. Hill said he expects four solid pitchers to each get a lot of innings.
“Kylee Branscum has a great mindset,” he said. “Her heart rate stays low. She shut out Newport in the state tournament last year. Mychal Duvall (who has committed to Arkansas State University-Newport) has good speed and spots the ball well. She also stays calm and collected. Ruby Otts is the hardest thrower of the group. Her control has improved a lot, and she could be a dominant pitcher for us. [Sophomore] Natalie Hurley would be the ace for a lot of teams, but she’s behind a group of really good ones. I fully expect her to help us out there when she’s not patrolling the outfield.”
Games to watch include Atkins, which has played in the state-championship game the past two years. The Lady Red Devils won the regular-season matchup last year on a walk-off sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, but Mayflower avenged the loss with an 8-3 win in the regional final.
Under Hill, the Lady Eagles have been on quite a run.
“Before this group of seniors began playing four years ago, Mayflower hadn’t made the state tournament in more than 20 years,” he said. “This group has made it every year so far. To go from no state tournament appearances to this group making it every year is pretty cool.”