NATCHEZ — Best friends and former teammates Brooke Runnels and Kylie Powell will sport different colors next softball season, turning them from friends to foes.

The former Adams County Christian School softball standouts have extended their softball playing careers by signing to play community college ball. Runnels signed with Hinds Community College in February, and Powell signed with Meridian Community College three weeks ago. Now, ACCS’ pitcher-catcher combination will be in opposite dugouts of each school’s most intense rivalry.

“It’s going to be weird,” Runnels said. “She’ll probably be behind the plate trying to talk to me while I’m trying to hit.”

Runnels suggested Powell would be more inclined to start the trash talk, but Powell said the friendly chatter amongst them has already begun. They’re keeping it friendly, though, after all, their friendship runs deep.

It all started when Runnels moved to Natchez with her family when she was an eighth grader from Willis, Texas. She joined the softball team at ACCS, and Powell became her first friend in town. Ever since, the two have become best friends.

Being friends and playing softball was on the radar for both girls through high school and into college, but Powell’s journey took a complicated detour. After tearing her ACL and MCL in the south state tournament last year, Powell underwent surgery on her knee and has spent most of this year recovering. Before the injury, Powell led the team in batting with a .378 average.

The state of her knee put her athletic future in jeopardy, causing her to doubt if she’d ever play again.

“I had weekly breakdowns every time I thought about it,” Powell said. “It was terrible.”

Runnels never doubted Powell’s playing future.

“I knew she was good enough to play somewhere, but with her knee issues, it was kind of a waiting thing,” Runnels said. “I knew she was going to go somewhere because she is really good.”

While Powell was recovering, Meridian was in search of a strong hitter and actually found out about Powell through Runnels, who told her coaches about her best friend. News traveled through the grapevine and Powell received an invite to a work out with Merdian in June, and after said workout a scholarship was offered by the club.

Now, best friends are back on track, and each will gladly cheer and heckle the other in opposing uniforms next season.

“I have so much more of an appreciation for it,” Powell said. “It’s amazing. I have no words for it.”