West Lauderdale, Neshoba take first-round wins

By By Austin Bishop & Jeff Byrd / staff writers
Oct. 16, 2002
The Lady Knights of West Lauderdale High School had little trouble advancing to the second round of the MHSAA Class 3A playoffs on Tuesday, thumping homestanding North Pike 15-1 and 17-0 in an opening round best-of-three series.
In other opening round series involving East Mississippi area teams Neshoba Central swept past Yazoo City 13-2, 13-3 and Quitman fell to Brookhaven 8-1, 15-3 in Class 4A; Enterprise lost to Sumrall 6-5, 9-5 in Class 2A and Nanih Waiya fell to West Lincoln 11-3, 6-4 in Class 1A.
Five other area opening-round series were postponed. Today's action has Wayne County visiting St. Martin in 5A, Northeast Lauderdale hosting Lawrence County at 4 p.m. in 4A action; Class 3A Newton County entertaining Franklin County at 5 p.m. and Class 1A Union hosting Bogue Chitto at 4 p.m.
Clarkdale hosts Seminary in Class 2A action at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Second round action will be played on Saturday, but the location and times won't be decided until the first round action is completed today and Thursday.
West Lauderdale 15-17
North Pike 17-0
The Lady Knights scored eight runs in the seventh inning of the opener and 10 runs in the third inning of the nightcap to take the lop-sided victories.
In the first game, which saw West bang out 20 hits, J.J. Huggins led the way for the Lady Knights with a homer, single and four RBIS, while Courtney Godwin, Amy Frazier and Kirby Rutledge had three hits each. Picking up two hits each for the winners were Kristina Gardner, Katie Moulds, Brooke Bounds and Jessica Moore.
Godwin ripped a homer and single and drove in four runs in the second game, while Huggins had a homer and single and Frazier knocked in four runs, while spanking a triple and single.
Moulds had a double and single for the winners, while Gardner and Holly Herrington had three hits each. Gardner was the winning pitcher in both games.
Neshoba Central 13-13
Yazoo City 2-3
Neshoba Central went on the road and came back with a two-game sweep of Yazoo City in the first round of the 4A girls slow-pitch playoffs on Tuesday afternoon.
The Lady Rockets whipped Yazoo City 13-2 and 13-3. With the series win, Neshoba Central will await the winner of the Cleveland East Side-Tishomingo County series that was being played Tuesday night in Iuka.
If East Side wins, the Lady Rockets head to Cleveland for a second round series on Saturday. If Tishomingo wins, the Lady Rockets will be at home on Saturday in Philadephia.
At Yazoo City, Neshoba Central ripped off 20 hits to bury the Lady Indians in game one.
Sarah Williamson went 4-for-4 to lead Neshoba. Lindsey Smith, Dacie Brantley and Alena Moore all went 3-for-4 in the first game. Sondria Hillie went 2-for-4 and Jessi Nowell went 2-for-3.
Lindsey Smith was the winning pitcher to go to 21-6.
In game two, Brantley went 3-for-3 to lead the Lady Rockets. Moore was 2-for-3 and Leia Dennis was 2-for-2. Neshoba Central had 13 hits in game two.
Smith was the winning pitcher and her record as is the team's is now 22-6.