Purvis’ one goal heading to the season was to return to the state championship.
The Lady Tornadoes did just that but fell short to Itawamba Agricultural High School 9-6 in Game 2 of the Class 4A State Championship at the Southern Miss Softball Complex on Friday.
“I know the town of Purvis is just as proud of my girls as I am,” Purvis coach Lindsay Robertson said. “It’s very special. We are blessed to be here and play for this. But I can tell you right now that I don’t need some trophy to tell me what I have on my team.”
Despite getting swept for a second straight year in the state championship, Purvis has put together a record of 55-15 in that time span.
“I told them to keep their heads,” Robertson said. “I’m proud of them, and the town of Purvis is proud of them. We can’t wait to see what they do, especially these three seniors and the legacy they are leaving with my program.”
After falling to Itawamba a day earlier, 6-2, the Indians managed to outslug 14 hits to Purvis’ 10 in a game that lasted two and a half hours and included seven pitching changes.
Both teams pulled and reentered their starting pitchers during the game. Purvis’ three pitchers of starter Jadie Bryd, Chelsea Regan and Brooxie Shepherd each threw roughly two innings, but combined to walk five batters and struck out three.
“There was a lot of moving around,” Robertson said. “We have always done that. We are comfortable with that. We tell our girls to be ready to throw - not if but when. Our defense was special all year because we were able to do pitching changes without substitutions.”
Itawamba AHS’ starting pitcher Layla Owens, who was named Ms. Softball for Class 4A, had a final line that had her giving up six runs off eight hits and walking two batters with two strikeouts, but her second stint in the game proved to be the difference.
Itawamba (30-7) jumped out to a 5-0 lead with the Indians getting on the board with in the second inning after hitting an RBI single, and then with back-to-back 2-run doubles in the third.
Purvis responded and tied the game with five runs in the bottom of the frame. Lily Reynolds hit a one-out RBI double with Owen hitting a batter to walk in a run, which led the Indians to make a pitching change. Jadie Byrd then cleared the bases with a 3-run single.
“We’ve done it time and time again,” said Robertson on Purvis’ response. “We tell the girls that we have ball to play, how many innings are left (and) how many runs we need. My girls are known for never quitting. We are going to fight and we are going to scrap. We are going to do what we’ve got to do to try our best and get the job done.”
However, the Lady Tornadoes struggled to find consistency from their pitching staff. In the fifth inning, Itawamba pulled ahead with an RBI double, and then tacked on three more runs in the sixth after giving up an RBI sac fly and a 2-run single to go up 9-5.
Ownes returned to the game midway through the fifth and returned to her elite form as she shut down Purvis’ lineup. The Tornadoes scored their final run from a throwing error to third base in the bottom of the sixth, but Owens closed out the game, giving up just one hit.
“We took it inning by inning,” Robertson said. “That’s what we ask the girls to do as well.
“I asked them to give me their all, and that’s exactly what they did. They left nothing on this field.”
Purvis ends the season with a 28-8 record.
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