Hinds Softball Secures Region 23 play-in berth

1. WESSON, Miss. (VDN) — Hinds Community College Softball is headed to the postseason, earning the No. 8 seed in the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament and a spot in the play-in game hosted by Copiah-Lincoln Community College. The Lady Eagles will face No. 9 Southwest in a win-or-go-home matchup to open tournament play, with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m. on May 2 at Lady Wolves Field.

The winner of the play-in game advances into the four-team, double-elimination semifinal bracket beginning May 1 and will take on top-seeded Co-Lin. On the other side of the opening round, No. 4 LSU-Eunice will meet No. 5 Northwest with a 6 p.m. start.

Hinds enters the postseason with a 33-16 overall record and a 16-10 mark in conference play, including a strong 16-10 record at home. The Lady Eagles have been competitive across all settings, going 10-6 on the road and 7-0 in neutral-site contests.

Offensively, Hinds has been powered by a balanced lineup hitting .308 as a team. Emma Hudson leads the charge with a .407 batting average, tallying 61 hits, 56 RBI, and a .700 slugging percentage. Abigail McLeanhas also been a key contributor, batting .360 with 45 hits and 31 RBI, while Alyx Hall(.333) and Jalia McDaniel (.322) have consistently produced throughout the season.

The Eagles’ pitching staff has posted a 3.59 ERA across 319.2 innings. Mattie Gibson has been a steady presence in the circle with a 2.33 ERA and a 5-0 record, while Claire Mellard owns a 2.94 ERA and four complete games. McLean has logged the most innings for Hinds, compiling an 11-6 record over 108.2 innings pitched with 103 strikeouts.

The Region 23 Tournament is split into two brackets. While Hinds competes in Wesson, the opposite side will be hosted by Pearl River Community College and includes Jones, Itawamba, Meridian, and Northeast. The winners of each bracket will earn automatic bids to the NJCAA Division II World Series, scheduled for May 19–24 in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Those two teams will also meet on May 9 for the Region 23 Championship at the highest remaining seed.

Tickets for the tournament are available for purchase in advance for $15 or at the gate on game day. Children under five will be admitted free, and only MACCC passes will be accepted. Both cash and card payments will be available.