Britney Ellis’ right knee popped in the third inning of a blowout against Tucker on September 24, senior night. Grimacing in pain on the brink of tears, Ellis asked for the trainer, Kelsey Ney, to take a look at it. She did. Ney worked her magic, but in order to finish the game, Ellis would have to play through the pain. And so she did.

Ellis finished off Tucker in the top of the fourth inning and Newton won via mercy-rule 14-2.

Ellis tore her ACL in her left knee last year and had surgery on December 18. She was cleared
to play at the start of the season, but after the first game Ellis and her parents, Angela and
Thomas Ellis found out Britney had no ACL in her right knee.

The doctor told her to pitch until she felt like she couldn’t do it anymore. Coming into the
season, Britney wasn’t expected to carry a heavy load with Madison Chronic potentially having
a big role in the circle and possibly another pitcher. However, Chronic has been dealing with a
shoulder injury and hasn’t been able to pitch since the first week of games and Britney has
pitched every game since.

“Even if it was a hard game for her, she always finished it up for us and I’m real proud of what
she’s doing,” Ashley Coles, Newton head softball coach, said.

“With both of her knees – she just came back off of surgery – so one is repaired and now she’s
found out her other one is just as in bad as shape as the other, but she’s just one of those
people she’s gonna make it work. She knows she has to for the team and I’m proud of her and I
appreciate it every game. I’m just glad tonight, I saw a smile on her face when she was
pitching,” Coles said after Newton beat Rockdale 18-1 on Wednesday.

Britney is still doing physical therapy to rehab her left knee, which she’ll continue through
December.

“I just think she stepped up to help the team. It’s all about the team anyway. A lot of people don’t
know that she’s got a torn ACL in the other leg. She’s playing with no ACL in one leg and
surgery on the other one,” Thomas said. “It’s been pretty tough, but she’s been working through
it. Takes a lot of ice. She’s out there for the team.”

Ellis wears a brace on her left knee and gets her right knee wrapped before every game.
Thomas says that some days are bad and others are good.

“I think this has been a struggle for her, but I think it’s definitely helped her,” Angela Ellis said. “I
think it’s made her a better pitcher having to step up as a sophomore and do that.”

Ellis helped lead Newton to the No. 2 seed in the Region 2-AAAAAA tournament and she’ll look
to help the Lady Rams earn their first trip to round two in the state playoffs in school history