By By Cassie Chance/Special to The Star
Feb. 21, 2001
After opening the season with victories over Choctaw County, Ala., and Enterprise, the Northeast Lauderdale Trojans entertained cross-county rival West Lauderdale at Glenn Fraizer Field on Tuesday night.
The past two times these teams have met, the margin of victory was only one run. However, this time around, the Knights used an eight-run sixth inning to take a 17-6 win.
The Knights got on the scoreboard early in the first inning as Bo Davis singled to right field. That scored Ike Munn and Brad McKee to give the Knights the early 2-0 advantage.
West tacked on three more runs in the second thanks to singles by Josh Snider and McKee.
Northeast answered back in the second as Will Matlock reached on an error by Ryan Clay that scored J.R. Smith to cut the Knights' lead to four.
The Trojans came back to cut the West Lauderdale lead to 5-3 on a fielder's choice, which scored Matlock and Kyle Stoddard.
The Trojans came as close as two runs before West Lauderdale got a combined 13 runs compared to the Trojans' three in the last four innings to take the win.
Matlock took the loss for Northeast. He completed 1 1/3 innings while giving up five runs on six hits, walking three, and striking out one.
The Trojans got a 2-for-4 performance by Smith, who doubled twice. Stoddard went 2-for-3.
Northeast (2-1) will host Neshoba Central on Friday night and travel to West Lauderdale on Saturday.
Todd Doolittle picked up the win on the mound for West Lauderdale by completing five innings of play while giving up four runs on three hits, walking three, and striking out 11. McKee and Joyner led the Knights by going 3-for-5. McKee contributed with two walks and a double, while Joyner added two singles and two walks. Both Munn and Doolittle went 2-for-5 with two singles and a single and walk, respectively.
The Knights (1-0) host Southeast on Friday and Northeast again on Saturday.