For Myrtle seventh grader Chloe Rhodes, it happened in her very first varsity at-bat.
With the Myrtle Lady Hawks trailing North Pontotoc 7-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night, Rhodes stepped to the plate for her first-ever varsity appearance. The game was on the line. Extra innings. One run down.
She didn’t blink.
Rhodes launched a two-run home run to left field, sealing an 8-7 walk-off victory and sending the Lady Hawks into celebration.
It was the kind of moment most players dream about. First varsity at-bat. Extra innings. Down a run. And she ends it with one swing.
But Rhodes wasn’t finished.
Following the varsity thriller, Myrtle’s JV squad took the field. In her very next at-bat of the night, Rhodes struck again — this time crushing a three-run homer.
Two swings. Two home runs. Five RBIs. One unforgettable night.
The varsity contest itself was tightly contested from start to finish. North Pontotoc collected 13 hits and held a 7-6 lead entering the bottom of the ninth. Myrtle had battled back late to keep the game within reach before Rhodes delivered the decisive blow.
Brooklyn Streich earned the win in the circle for Myrtle, tossing nine innings and striking out nine. The Lady Hawks played clean defense behind her, committing no errors.
But Tuesday night belonged to the seventh grader.
In a sport built on patience and repetition, it is rare for a first varsity opportunity to produce instant heroics. For Rhodes, it produced a memory that will follow her long after middle school.
Myrtle fans will remember where they were when it happened.
And Chloe Rhodes will never forget her first varsity at-bat.
