By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
June 17, 2002
Biloxi claimed two gold medals and New Albany another in late-night State Games youth softball Saturday.
Biloxi won the 14-Under and 16-Under divisions with New Albany taking the 12-Under gold.
12-Under
The New Albany Diamond Dawgs needed only five innings to run rule North Meridian Optimist 11-1 for the gold medal. NMO had forced the "if" game with a 15-5 win in the 12-team tournament.
In the gold medal game, the Diamond Dawgs got a single apiece from Whitney Speck, Emily Bogue, Kuri Washington, and Brittney Gilliam. NMO was credited with 11 errors.
Shelley Odom, Jennie Scrivner, and Mindi Turnipseed each had a single for NMO.
NMO forced the extra game by hammering the Diamond Dawgs 15-5. Kasie Buckley had a pair of singles, while Odom, Scrivner, J'Quandra Hickman, Jessica Frazier, Kylie Rowell, Lindsey Lang, and Brittany Jackson had one single each.
Beth Reed had two doubles for the Diamond Dawgs with Speck adding a home run. The Lady Hounds from Ocean Springs took the bronze medal.
14-Under
Biloxi routed North Meridian Optimist 16-1 in the gold medal game after NMO had forced the "if" game with a 5-4 win.
In the final contest, Biloxi was led by Jeana Erickson, who had two singles and a home run. Michelle Parker and Lauren Provinsky both had a pair of singles. In the first championship game, Biloxi got a home run apiece from Erickson and Paige Mount, two singles from Natalie Parker, and a double from Lauren Provinsky.
Last names for NMO were not written on the lineup. Amory took the bronze medal with an 11-6 victory over the Miss-Lou Hot Shots.
16-Under
Biloxi breezed through the eight-team field to take the gold medal in the 16-Under division, beating Nitro 14-4, Summer Heat 16-0, and Neshoba Central 18-8 and 13-5.
In the gold medal game, Biloxi struck for four runs in the fourth, fifth, and sixth frames.
Sarah Williamson, Alana Moore, and Nakecia Buckley each had two singles for Neshoba Central. Samantha Giambrone had a triple.
Neshoba Central reached the gold medal game with a 9-7 win over Nitro.