Area roundup: Clarkdale takes win in MHSAA playoffs

By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
April 16, 2004
The Lady Bulldogs scored eight runs in the fourth inning to take a convincing second-round win over Richton by a final score of 14-2 in game one of the three-game series in the Class 2A/1A fast-pitch playoffs.
Emily Howard led the offense with three hits, including a triple. Savannah Satcher, Megan Potate, and Alyssa Bye had two singles apiece in the win. Howard picked up the pitching win for the Lady Bulldogs and improved to 16-3 for the season.
Clarkdale and Richton will meet in game two of the series on Saturday at Clarkdale.
Neshoba Central 12
Saltillo 2
The Lady Rockets scored nine runs in the fifth inning and took advantage of seven errors to take the 10-run win over Saltillo in game one of the three game series in the second round of Class 4A state playoffs.
Sondrie Hillie led the way with two hits, including a double for Neshoba Central. Samantha Hill added a double and triple for the Lady Rockets, while Laura Smith had a home run. Lindsey Smith picked up the pitching win for Neshoba Central to improve to 12-3.
North Pike 7
West Lauderdale 5
West Lauderdale dropped a two-run decision on the road at North Pike to open the second round in the Class 3A playoffs.
Brooke Lee took the pitching loss for West Lauderdale and the offense took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning, but North Pike scored four runs in the last two innings to take the win.
Ashley Helms led the Lady Knights with three hits, including a double. Cristy Lance added a pair of singles in the loss.
Mize 3
Philly 2
The Lady Tornadoes suffered a hard fought one-run loss on the road at Mize in game one of the Class 2A/1A playoff series. Jillian Sparnecht led Philadelphia with two hits, including a double.
Dawn Rushing added two singles in the loss. Shelby Smith took the pitching loss for the Lady Tornadoes and her record fell to 12-4.
PREP SLOW-PITCH
SOFTBALL
Lamar 17
NCA 1
The Lady Raiders had six players with multiple hits in a 16-run win at Northeast Park on Thursday night. Megan Pennington led the way with three hits, including a triple. Lizzie Williams added two hits, including a double and two RBIs.
S.M. Mitchell had two hits and one RBI, while Amanda Jones added a pair of hits and one RBI. Aimee Chesney had two hits, including a double and three RBIs, while Colenn Lyman added a pair of hits and two RBIs.
Mitchell picked up the pitching win going three innings and allowing three hits. Lamar improved to 10-4 for the season and returns to action Monday at East Rankin.
PREP BASEBALL
Newton County 9
Choctaw Central 3
The Cougars pounded out 12 hits and scored four runs in the first inning to take a six-run win on the road at Choctaw Central Thursday night.
Will Pearson led Newton County at the plate with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Bud Loper added had three singles and two RBIs for Newton County.
Michael Westbrook had a double and three RBIs to round out the offense for the Cougars.
PREP TENNIS
Class 5A
The Meridian High tennis team had a pair of doubles teams advance to the state tournament with wins in the district tournament at Brandon on Thursday.
The girls doubles team of Kourtney Harris and Kelly Sterling took wins over Brandon and Northwest Rankin to advance to the state tournament, while the boys doubles team of Will Compton and Graham Woods finished in second place in the tournament with a loss to Northwest Rankin in the finals.
Class 4A
The Division 5-4A tournament was held in Ellisville on Wednesday afternoon and several local teams performed well in the day-long event.
Wayne County ended the day by finishing in third place with a team score of five, while Northeast Lauderdale finished in a tie for fourth place with Quitman with a team score of three.
In first round boys singles action Lamar Lewis of Quitman defeated Daniel Snellgrove of Mendenhall by a final of 6-2, 6-0. Tyler Barnett of Northeast Lauderdale picked up a win in first round boys singles action by a final of 7-5, 6-4 over Thomas Tsai of Wayne County.
Lewis lost in the semifinals to Andrew Brewer of Florence by a final of 6-1,6-0. Barnett was knocked out of the tournament in the semifinal by a final score of 6-1, 6-0 by Blake Sherman of West Jones.
In first-round action of the girls singles tournament Brianne Boudreaux of Quitman defeated Alicia Adams of Mendenhall by a final of 6-0, 6-0, while Susi Deubzer of Wayne County defeated Jennifer Kueven of Northeast Lauderdale by a final of 6-1, 6-4. Deubzer later defeated Boudreaux in the semifinals by a final score of 6-3, 6-1.
Deubzer captured the division championship by defeating Rebecca Benson of West Jones by a final score of 5-7, 6-3, 6-3.
Tyler McNeal and Jordan Mathis advanced to the championship match of the boys doubles before being defeated by Lee Hubbard and Cade Sherman of West Jones by a final score of 6-2, 6-4.
Ashley Smith and Erica Rowell of Quitman preformed well in the girls doubles by winning their first round match over Quan Adams and DeDe Grays of Mendenhall by a final score of 6-2, 6-0. Smith and Rowell were eliminated in the semifinals of the girls doubles by a final score of 6-1, 6-4 by Meghann Ainsworth and J.J. Benson of West Jones.
Hannah Langley and Justin Westover of Wayne County advanced to the championship round of the mixed doubles portion of the tournament and were defeated by Andrew Hortman and Mary Alice Howard of West Jones in the title game by a final of 6-4, 6-1.