There will be a very familar face in the opponent’s dugout when the Houston softball team opens Saturday’s annual SCA Tournament.
The No. 3 Lady Tigers play sixth-seeded Salem – led by former HHS coach Jim Moore – at 9 a.m. Saturday at Mountain Grove High School. Seeds are determined by the regular season finish from the previous year.
Moore led HHS softball for six successful seasons that were highlighted by four SCA championships and three district titles. He resigned following the 2025 season and later accepted the same role at Salem, where he is an assistant principal and assistant boys basketball coach.
Houston, led by first-year coach Conaley Aaron, is 3-1 following Tuesday’s 19-9 six-inning home victory against Steelville. The Lady Tigers host Mansfield on Thursday prior to the weekend.
Thayer is the tournament’s top seed and received a first-round bye. The Lady Bobcats will face the winner of No. 4 Willow Springs and No. 5 Mountain Grove.
Ava is seeded second and opens with Liberty. Depending on their outcome, the Lady Tigers will play the winner or loser of that game. Cabool is not playing in the tournament.
2026 SCA Softball Tournament
Houston is averaging 17.3 runs per game while batting a combined .462. Katy Evans, the program’s single-season and all-time home run leader, has gone deep twice. Cleanup hitter Ashley Gilbert has also homered and leads the team with 10 RBIs. Gracyn McNiell has reached base safely in 15 of her 17 plate appearances while batting a team-best .778 with 15 runs scored and 7 stolen bases.
The Lady Tigers’ pitching staff has struggled with consistency. Five pitchers have combined to walk 28 and hit 14 batters in 18 1/3 innings.