By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
April 20, 2002
Three area baseball teams will go to the third game of their best-of-three series today in the MHSAA state playoffs. Meridian, Newton, and Union will all host the deciding games.
Petal 6
Meridian 3
The sixth-ranked Wildcats, 30-5, need a win today at John Moss Field to keep their Class 5A playoff hopes alive as the No. 10 Panthers, 20-10, evened the first-round series at 1-1 with Friday's win at Petal. Today's game is set for 1 p.m.
Petal outhit Meridian eight to seven. Both teams committed three errors.
Ricky McMillian had two singles for the Wildcats.
Brett Hoeflich homered for Petal with Clint Ellis adding three singles and Chase Coleman a double. Dane Reiter (6-1) got the win.
Torry Bates (7-2) took the loss for Meridian.
St. Andrew's 8
Newton 3
The Saints struck for three runs in the bottom of the first inning to take Friday's Class 2A game at Ridgeland. Winning pitcher Brad Baskin (6-1) highlighted the quick start with a two-run single.
Newton got one run back in the second behind a Bobby Lindsey double.
The Tigers closed to within 3-2 in the top of the fourth as Austin Bonds belted a solo homer.
St. Andrew's picked up two runs in the bottom of the fourth and added three insurance runs in the fifth.
Cody Savell also had a double for Newton, 17-8. Jeremy Tune had a pair of singles.
Baskin had three singles, while Abram Orlansky had a single and a double. Taylor Jones had two singles as St. Andrew's improved to 21-13.
Lucas Poole took the loss.
Union 13
Weir 1
The Yellowjackets evened their Class 1A best-of-three first round series with a 12-run win Friday night at Weir.
Jody Blount struck out six Lions in four innings to get the win. Zack Robinson threw the bottom of the fifth.
Union scored four runs in the top of the first, two in the second, third, and fourth frames, and three in the fifth. Weir's only run came in the bottom of the third.
Blount had a single and a two-run homer for Union, 18-12. Wes Henry went 3-for-3 with three singles. Jordan Robinson and Danny Cain both added a pair of singles.
Oak Grove 4
Wayne County 1
The War Eagles saw their season end with the loss at Waynesboro to third-ranked Oak Grove, 22-4.
Quitman 4
McComb 1
The Panthers completed their sweep of the Tigers with Friday's win at McComb.
Quitman improved to 25-7 with the win.
Houlka 9
Nanih Waiya 1
Houlka took a 1-0 lead in the Class 1A series with Thursday's win at Nanih Waiya. Seth Burt tossed a no-hitter for the Wildcats. He struck out nine and did not issue a walk.
Jimbo Wiggs had a grand slam for Houlka.
David Frye took the loss.
Fast-Pitch Softball
Newton County 19
West Marion 2
Newton County broke open a 4-2 game with 15 runs in the top of the fifth inning to win the first game of the second round best-of-three series Thursday night at Foxworth.
Newton County goes for the sweep today at 4 p.m. when the Lady Cougars host the Lady Trojans at Decatur.
Kristin Chaney had three singles for Newton County, 31-5. Holly Jackson, Suzanne Chaney, and Dominique Mapp each had two singles. Jessica Sheehan had a three-run double, while Kristal Burton added a two-run double. Lorna Blackburn also had a two-bagger.
Carrie Stringer took the loss for West Marion, 11-5.
Patrician 15
Southern Choctaw 1
Kirby Baxter struck out 13 and allowed only three walks and two hits as the Lady Saints ripped Southern Choctaw Friday at Greensboro, Ala.
Baxter, who has signed with Okaloosa-Walton Community College, also went 3-for-5 with three singles. Megan Hand and Riley Carpenter both had a pair of singles as Patrician improved to 20-1.
Patrician will host Marengo Academy Tuesday for the area championship at 4 p.m. Patrician is 6-0 in the league, while Marengo is 5-1.
Slow-Pitch Softball
Central 8-13
Lamar 1-14
Lamar scored nine runs in the bottom of the second inning of Friday's second game to salvage a split with the Lady Vikings at Northeast Park.
Central won the opener as they Lady Vikings scored three runs in the top of the first inning and added three more in the fifth to go up 6-1.
S.M. Mitchell went 2-for-2 for Lamar.
In the second game, Celia Covington went 3-for-4 to lead the Lady Raiders. Myleia Shirley, Olivia Hill, Jessica Brown, and Mitchell each had two hits.
Lamar will host Leake Monday.