KONAWA — The Konawa Lady Tigers are off to a heart-pounding start to the 2025 season.
After surviving an all-area clash and edging Tupelo 8-7 to start their fastpitch campaign, Konawa held off Varnum 1-0 on Friday.
Those first two nail-biters were the beginning of a four-game homestand. The Lady Tigers host Wilburton on Monday night and Moss on Tuesday night.
“We have had a good start, beating Tupelo Thursday and beating a very talented Varnum team 1-0 (Friday) night in a dogfight,” veteran coach Doug Isaacs told The Ada News. “I’m so proud of this young team’s development and the way they play for each other. We have some tough games coming up, but I know they’ll meet the challenge.”
The Konawa squad features just two seniors on the roster — Laila Wroolie and Lynn Solano — and a combined seven freshmen and sophomores.
Konawa 1, Varnum 0
The Lady Tigers managed to get the best of Varnum ace Kapri Rodriguez, considered one of the top small-school pitchers in the state. Rodriguez struck out 17, didn’t walk a batter and allowed just two hits in six strong innings.
Konawa finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Bridgett Arms led off the frame with a double to left field. Freshman Kassidy Lowden then attempted to move the runner to third via a bunt and reached on a Varnum error and Arms raced home on the miscue.
“It was good for us facing an elite pitcher like Rodriguez. It forced us to make adjustments at the plate, scratch, fight, and strategize to get a run across, and then protect it with great pitching and defense,” Isaacs said. “The girls really stayed locked in. Nowadays, everyone wants to go out and just out-hit everyone, but when you face elite pitching, you make adjustments and do what it takes to produce enough offense to get the win. This young team is learning that.”
Lowden had the only other Konawa hit — a two-out single in the bottom of the sixth inning. But the Konawa second baseman helped keep the visitors off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning by throwing out a Varnum base runner Kalea Miller at home to end the frame.
Konawa pitcher Jaden Coats earned the win, striking out 13, walking three and scattering three hits in seven shutout innings.
It was the season opener for the Lady Whippets.
Konawa 7, Tupelo 6
The KHS Lady Tigers scored six early runs and led 6-2 after five full innings. But Tupelo mounted a rally, scoring four runs in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 6-6.
Jaden Coats delivered a two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom half to put Konawa ahead 8-6.
Lainee Wafford continued a big day at the plate for the visitors with a run-scoring single with one out in the top of the seventh, but Coats stranded the Tupelo runner at third base by ending the contest with a strikeout. She tossed all seven innings for the host Lady Tigers and recorded 11 strikeouts to go with five walks.
Konawa finished with six hits by six different players. Kassidy Lowden also cracked a double for the hosts.
Wafford led a 10-hit Tupelo offense, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Kayle Watson finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored and leadoff hitter Katy Davis went 1-for-4 and scored three times.
Wafford was solid in the circle for Tupelo, striking out seven and walking seven.