Mexico doesn’t want to make the moment too big, but the lead was large.

The Lady Bulldogs scored eight runs in each of the first two innings to beat Macon 16-0 in three innings to win their first home district game since 2014. Mexico (21-8) will play No. 2 seed and state No. 3 Centralia (26-6) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. 

Everybody in the Mexico lineup had a hit and eight of nine girls had at least one RBI to earn the team’s biggest shutout win since a 19-0 victory over Fulton right before districts last year. Head coach Hanna Jones said she knew her team was capable of this before facing Macon (12-17).

Mexico vs Macon Photo Gallery

“I just wanted us to play our game because I knew, if we played the way we know how to play, we would be fine,” Jones said. “Sometimes, when you get into district play, you can get into your head about other games around you or how other teams are doing instead of just focusing on the game in front of you.”

Scottie Smith, Payton Shaw and Aleigha Henderson each had three RBIs, and Keerstan Ewing and Sammie Gipson each had two RBIs. Shaw started the scoring in the first inning with a two-RBI triple down the right-field line.

Jones joked with Shaw that she didn’t remember the last time she hit it down the right field line. Shaw slid into third base after taking an 0-2 pitch the other way.

“It’s either a double or single. I never really get to third base, but I’m glad I did this time,” Shaw laughed. “We’ve seen this team before, and we know we’re capable of hitting. We usually go for the first pitch. We didn’t this time because we wanted to wait and see what we could do.”

Shaw said this mindset was shared throughout the lineup as Henderson hit an 0-2 pitch for an RBI and Kaitlyn Krietemeyer came through on a 2-2 pitch.

“I love when it just keeps going,” Shaw said about the balanced offense.

Jones agrees that it’s nice when the offense looks good throughout, and she could tell early that the girls were “locked in.” She said Mexico’s timing was good, and the hard hits pile up when that is the case.

“They’re swinging at quality pitches, they were making adjustments earlier and they’re learning from each other’s at bats,” Jones said. “That’s exactly what we’ve talked about: making sure we make an adjustment after the first batter.”

Gipson pitched three innings with three strikeouts, two walks and one hit. 

“I knew she was going to take care of us today,” Jones said. “Weather is not ideal for a pitcher, especially when it’s sprinkling like this. Sometimes, it can mess with your head, but she did a good job of staying locked in and staying focused.”

Pitching will be a factor on Saturday when Mexico faces all-state pitcher Jaylynn Brown once again. Brown limited Mexico to two hits and struck out 14 in Centralia’s 11-0 win in September. Before that, Brown has allowed three runs on four hits while striking out 27 in 14 innings pitched against Mexico.

However, it’s a new year where Mexico is averaging a five-year high of 8.2 runs per game. Jones said the Lady Bulldogs need to believe they can do it and lock in at the plate again. 

“She is a very good pitcher, but if we take quality at bats, any pitcher is hittable,” Jones said. “We just have to stay mentally locked in and treat it like any other game. They’re a good team, but we’re a good team, too.”

Shaw said she is just thinking that she doesn’t want the season to end before Mexico faces Brown again. She believes the Lady Bulldogs can hit her and are confident whenever they are at home, where they are 8-1. 

“We always do better when we’re at home,” Shaw said. “We really wanted to show out, and we felt comfortable, too.”