PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia’s four seniors have adjusted to having four slow-pitch softball coaches over the course of their high school years. 

Although the now-seniors’ coaches each year changed, their commitment to the maintaining the Lady Tornadoes’ standard of softball hasn’t. And now, they’re one series away from playing for a state championship.

Philadelphia swept Enterprise by scores of 7-3 and 7-6 Thursday at Burnside Park to advance to the South State round of the MHSAA Class I slow-pitch softball playoffs.

First-year Philadelphia (19-3) coach Frank Hutton commended his senior class’ commitment to the program.

“I know for them it probably feels weird coming in and dealing with so many coaches in the past, and then coming in with a new guy and it being their senior year,” Hutton said. “I kind of experienced the same thing a couple times when I was playing, but they’ve handled it so well.”

Philadelphia took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning of Game 1 after RBI singles from Zharia Jordan and Allyson Davis. The Lady Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead. Hannah Herrington knocked an RBI double, Sarah Brannan followed with an RBI single and Herrington scored on a Philadelphia error.

In the bottom of the third, Tyesha Cole and Rudi Tanksley scored on an Enterprise error, and Jordan sent home Nia Luckett with an RBI single. Emma Taylor plated Kamryn Moore to push the Lady Tornadoes ahead 6-3.

An Enterprise error in the bottom of the fifth scored Davis for Philadelphia’s seventh run.

Philadelphia out-hit Enterprise 12-7.

Jordan was 3 of 3 with two RBIs, and Moore and Luckett were each 2 of 3. Moore also added two RBIs.

 Morgan Partridge went 2-for-3 for the Lady Bulldogs, and Faith Guy was 2-for-4.

In Game 2, the Lady Bulldogs erased a 7-0 deficit to enter the seventh inning trailing 7-5.

Maddie Herrington lined out to begin the final frame, but Haley Stockman reached first base on a Philadelphia error. Guy doubled during the following at-bat, and Shawanda Gray was intentionally walked to load the bases for the Lady Bulldogs. 

A sacrifice fly from Hannah Herrington trimmed Enterprise’s deficit to 7-6, but Sydney Goodman popped out for the Lady Bulldogs’ final out. 

Moore paced Philadelphia’s batters in Game 2 with three hits in four plate appearances to go with one RBI. Cole was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Luckett was 2-for-4 with one run.

Hannah Herrington was 2 of 3 with two RBIs, while Guy was 2 of 4 with one run. 

Both teams tallied 10 hits apiece in the second game.

Cole, one of Philadelphia’s four seniors, shared a few of her team’s keys to success this year. 

“We have to come to practice every day and work hard to get to where we are,” Cole said. “We just come and have fun and try to not be stressed by anything.”

Enterprise capped its season at 19-9 to fall two series shy of playing for its second-consecutive state championship. This year’s Lady Bulldogs’ team includes seven seniors, and Enterprise coach Davey Dewitt commended them for their contributions to the program. 

“I don’t have the words,” Dewitt said. “A lot of those girls have been starting since the eighth grade for me, and I’m just… I hate that I couldn’t do it for them. I’ve been telling them all year that when we get down, we’ve always laid down. We haven’t really flipped the switch and turned it around — and they did today.”

Philadelphia faces the winner of the Lake-Eupora series in next Tuesday’s South State round. Despite the opponent, Moore, another one of Philadelphia’s seniors, said the Lady Tornadoes are looking forward to the challenge. 

“We’re excited,” Moore said. “We’re ready, and we have to work hard for them, like we always do.”