MCC makes changes to softball tourney

By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
September 28, 2002
Due to the damage caused by Tropical Storm Isidore, two slow-pitch softball teams from the Gulf Coast have withdrawn from today's 14th-annual Meridian Community College Invitational Tournament.
Second-ranked Moss Point and East Central have pulled out, leaving 18 teams and a revised bracket which can be seen on Page 2.
Pools 1 and 2 remain the same with pools 3 and 4 now playing a crossover game with each other. Several of the other games have had time changes.
One of the good things to come out of the revised bracket is a 6:20 p.m. contest between defending state champions New Hope (4A) and Newton County (3A).
Other crossover games at 6:20 have Northeast Lauderdale taking on Division 6-5A co-leader Natchez, Meridian taking on Petal, and Division 5-3A leader West Lauderdale facing Harrison Central.
The bracket is set up to split the teams into four pools with each pool to have its champion. There will be no semifinals or championship game due to MHSAA cutbacks on the number of games allowed per season.