By By Steve Swogetinsky / special to The Star
June 27, 2004
DECATUR The South All-Stars overcame a six-run outburst by the North in the sixth inning, as they chipped away to claim an 8-6 victory in the second game of the Mississippi High School All-Star slow-pitch softball games Saturday.
The South also won the first game 9-4 at the Mack Fanning Softball Field Complex at Newton County High School.
The South out hit the North 14-10 in the first game and 16-13 in the second.
This was the 18th playing of slow-pitch all-star game series, which is now tied 8-8-2.
South 9
North 4
With the game tied at two going into the fifth inning, the South took control scoring three in the fifth, two in the sixth and two in the seventh.
Katie Moulds of West Lauderdale put her team on the scoreboard in the first with an RBI double to bring in Brittney Pigott of Poplarville.
The North answered in the second on a single by C.J. Cole of Tishomingo County that brought home Amber Gray of Northeast Lauderdale to tie the game at one.
Shakima Nicholson of New Hope slugged her first of two home runs in the second to give the North a 2-1 edge, but Kacey Jimmerson of Enterprise slammed a single up the middle in the fourth inning to score Moulds and tie the game at two.
Jill Landry banged a three-run homer in the fifth to put the South in front for good. The North scored two in the bottom of the fifth on Nicholson's second homer, making the score 5-4. But that would be the North's final runs of the game.
The South added two runs in the sixth. Keisha Blue of Warren Central knocked in Megan Potate of Clarkdale with a double and then scored. In the seventh, Jennifer Smith of Newton County and Katie Moulds of West Lauderdale scored on Jimmerson's single to end the scoring.
Jillian Landry of Mercy Cross was the winning pitcher, and Mary Lee Ward of Tupelo took the loss.
South 8
North 6
Trailing 6-1 after two innings, the South worked its way back to take the second game of the doubleheader.
Ashley Dear of Florence scored off of Landry's single to put the South up 1-0. The North pounded out six runs on six hits and went up 6-1.
Smith scored one run in the second, and Alexander and Landry scored in the third to make it 6-4.
Ashley and Alexander each hit two-run doubles in the fourth to put their team in the lead for good.
Landry was the winning pitcher, and Ivy Settlemires of Ripley took the loss.
Nicholson was named the MVP for the North, and Landry took the honor for the South.