By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Oct. 20, 2002
All six area slow-pitch softball teams survived their second-round series Saturday and will advance to their respective North/South State championships on Tuesday.
Northeast Lauderdale had the toughest task, needing three games to get past Poplarville. West Lauderdale, Newton County, Clarkdale, Union, and Neshoba Central all won in two games.
Newton County 13-10
West Marion 0-4
The defending state champion Lady Cougars improved to 29-4 with the Class 3A series sweep at Foxworth. West Marion finished 14-9.
In the opener, Newton County scored three runs in both the third and fourth frames to go up 7-0.
The Lady Cougars outhit West Marion 16-5. Shelly Ferguson had two singles and a two-run double for Newton County. Winning pitcher Suzanne Chaney (19-3) had three singles and Jennifer Smith had a single and a two-run double. Holly Jackson and Lauren Barrett both had two singles.
Lauren Haney had two singles for West Marion. Kendrik Green took the loss.
In the second game, Newton County led 3-0 after one inning only to have the Lady Trojans pull even in the top of the second. The Lady Cougars took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second.
Newton County outhit West Marion 15-10. Chaney (20-3) again got the win and had a single and a triple. Ferguson and Dominique Mapp both had a single and an RBI-double. Barrett and Kristin Chaney both had two singles. Jackson added a double.
Green took the loss.
The Lady Cougars will play at West Lauderdale Tuesday at 5 p.m.
West Lauderdale 8-12
Purvis 3-1
The Lady Knights got four hits and eight RBIs from Amy Frazier in their Class 3A sweep at Purvis. West improved to 25-6 with the two wins.
In the opener, Frazier had a single, a double, and five RBIs. Courtney Graham and J.J. Huggins both had three singles. Holly Herrington had a single and a double with winning pitcher Kristina Gardner (24-6) adding a double.
West outhit Purvis 13-7 and used a five-run second frame to go up 7-0.
In the second game, the Lady Knights got five runs in the first inning, four in the second, and three in the third to improve to 25-6. Frazier had a single, a double, and three RBIs. Huggins and Kirby Rutledge both had a single and a double. Gardner, Herrington, Brook Bounds, and Jessica Moore each had two singles. Katie Moulds added a triple.
Gardner (25-6) got the win as Purvis finished 19-15.
West will host Newton County, 29-4, Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Clarkdale 14-7
Mercy Cross 1-0
The Lady Bulldogs improved to 21-11-1 with a Class 2A sweep of the Lady Crusaders at Biloxi. Mercy Cross ended its year with a 16-6 mark.
In the opener, Brandi Limerick went 4-for-4 with a double and Megan Potate went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles to lead Clarkdale. Emily Howard had two doubles, while winning pitcher Kaylea Thrash, Savannah Satcher, and Sabrina Woodall were each 3-for-4. JorD'an Orr was 2-for-2 with a double.
Thrash threw a shutout in the second game. Satcher went 3-for-3 with a home run. Orr was 2-for-4 with a double, while Howard and Brandi Wright were both 2-for-3.
Clarkdale will go to Sumrall Tuesday.
Union 13-12
Mize 0-3
Union improved to 27-6 with the road sweep of Mize in the Class 1A playoffs. Mize wound up its year at 12-6.
In the opener, the Lady Jackets scored three times in the top of the first inning and twice in the third and fourth frames.
Union outhit Mize 16-4. Morgan Milling went 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Lauren White had a single, a double, and a triple to drive in three runs. Tiffany Thomas had two triples and a single. Winning pitcher Madison Brantley (17-4) had a pair of triples. Marley Smith had a single and a triple and LaSaundra Harrison had two singles.
In the second game, Union spotted Mize a run in the top of the first, then put the game away with eight runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Union outhit the Lady Bulldogs 16-12. Brantley had two singles and a homer to drive in three runs. Loren Kennedy had a single and a double with Lindsay Walker, White, and Harrison each having a pair of singles. Smith had a two-run triple. Beth Crotwell had a double.
Brantley (18-4) got the win.
Union will go to West Lincoln, 19-8, Tuesday for the 1A South State championship.
Northeast Lauderdale 4-8-4
Poplarville 14-6-1
The Lady Trojans spotted Poplarville a 14-4 win in the first game before coming back to take the series at Poplarville. By taking the series, the Lady Trojans improved to 26-8. They will face the Brookhaven-Florence winner on Tuesday.
No individual stats from Saturday's games were available by press deadline.
Poplarville finished 21-8.