Area schools look to adjust after losing slow pitch game
For many, news surfacing on Thursday of the discontinuance of slow pitch softball in the state of Mississippi was long overdue.
The sport had run its course for most of the schools in the state. It had dwindled down to just 75 teams in Mississippi that played the sport out of 248 schools. That number swells back to 214 for the spring this year in fast pitch and all six classifications are available as opposed to slow pitch grouping teams into Class I and Class II in 2019.
While many were overjoyed at the loss of the sport, it still meant something to some smalltown communities in central Mississippi. Webster County is one of those places that has flourished in a softball society whether it be slow or fast.
In the last 14 years, Eupora and East Webster have combined for five state championships and the Lady Eagles and Lady Wolverines played for the title a total of seven times. Coach Lee Berryhill and his East Webster teams have racked up the rings in both sports since he's been in Cumberland with the Lady Wolverines winning the slow pitch championship in 2014 and 2016 after playing for and losing in 2013. His teams have also played for seven of the last eight North State championship trophies, including this season.
“We knew that slow pitch was coming to an end sooner than later, but at the same time, our girls enjoyed playing the sport,” Berryhill said. “It gave us the opportunity to practice defense all fall. It's hard to replace that in practice so it carries over to fast pitch season. It helps with the overall skill. We're disappointed that it's been done away with.”
Eupora falls in the same category as East Webster as the two Webster County schools have had some fierce battles in slow pitch over the years. The Lady Eagles were most recently in the spotlight when they won the South State championship in Class I in 2018 but fell to East Union in the State championship game. Eupora won two state titles under Trae Embry in 2005 and 2007 and another under Kaley Harris in 2015.
Embry has since gone to Neshoba Central and won a state championship every season in slow and fast pitch since 2012, but the Eupora native will be searching for something to occupy his time this fall like many other coaches around the state.
Third-year Lady Eagle coach Amir Hunt is one of those who might have less responsibility next fall and he's sad to see the sport go, but he's also excited to see where things are headed for the school. Eupora has started its due diligence for what's in store, but no final decision has been made.
“I feel like we'll probably sit down and discuss where we're going to go moving forward,” Hunt said. “You have to replace it with a girls sport and volleyball will probably be it, but we haven't come to anything official. “Eupora has a had a lot of success and a lot of great memories in slow pitch softball. You hate to see it go, but if it's volleyball, it's going to be fun and we're going to enjoy it.”
The growth of volleyball in the state of Mississippi factored into the Mississippi High School Activities Association's decision to end slow pitch. For one, slow pitch cannot be played as a scholarship sport beyond high school. Volleyball popularity has grown across Mississippi including junior college schools beginning to take it on and allow players in state more opportunities.
In the last few years, the MHSAA went from two classifications to four in 2019 to accommodate more teams. The Starkville Daily area has even seen sparkling results as both Starkville and Choctaw County were district champions this year. The Lady Chargers advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class I championships before falling at Belmont earlier this week.
For SHS, the Lady Yellow Jackets had one of the best seasons in school history under first-year coach Sierra Horel and won 25 games and going undefeated in district play before losing in the playoffs to Clinton.