One team’s power surge gives the John Curtis-Pineville winner a state championship

May 4, 2026 - 03:05

SULPHUR - The first time Jadin Basco came to bat with first base open, John Curtis intentionally walked her, and Ava Moore followed with a two-RBI double to right-center field. That moment in the top of the fourth inning broke open what had been a tense, low-scoring battle, and it set the stage for a decisive offensive outburst that carried the Patriots to a state championship.

The Patriots, known for their disciplined approach at the plate, erupted for five runs in that inning alone. The rally began with a leadoff single, followed by a walk that put runners on base. After a sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position, the intentional walk to Basco loaded the bases. Moore, a sophomore who had been quiet earlier in the game, stepped up and delivered the biggest hit of her young career. Her double cleared the bases and gave John Curtis a lead it would not relinquish.

The team added insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings, capitalizing on a pair of Pineville errors and some timely hitting from the bottom of the lineup. The pitching staff, meanwhile, held Pineville scoreless over the final three frames, mixing a sharp fastball with a reliable changeup that kept hitters off balance.

For John Curtis, the championship represents the culmination of a season defined by resilience. Early in the year, the team struggled to find consistency at the plate, often relying on its pitching to keep games close. But as the playoffs progressed, the bats came alive. In the title game, every starter reached base at least once, and the team finished with 11 hits.

Pineville, which had won its semifinal in dramatic fashion, could not replicate that magic. The team stranded seven runners and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. Its best chance came in the third inning, when a leadoff double and a walk put two on with no outs, but a strikeout and a double play ended the threat.

The final score was 7-2, but the margin did not fully capture the dominance of John Curtis in the middle innings. The Patriots outhit Pineville 11-5 and committed no errors. The win gave the program its first state title since 2019 and cemented the legacy of a senior class that refused to let its final season end quietly.