By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
Oct. 9, 2003
PHILADELPHIA Neshoba Central and New Hope both came away with something when their Division 4-4A slow-pitch game ended late Wednesday afternoon.
Second-ranked Neshoba Central found out it could beat the top-ranked Lady Trojans as a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Lady Rockets a 4-3 win.
New Hope, which had a 25-game winning streak snapped, left knowing all it needed was a win at Louisville today to wrap up the league title, thanks to an earlier 10-4 win over the Lady Rockets.
Both teams are 6-1 in 4-4A. Neshoba improved to 25-3 overall, while New Hope fell to 25-2.
The Lady Rockets had just five hits through six innings, but were still in the game down only 3-0.
Dacie Brantley drew a walk to keep the rally alive. Laura Smith singled and Allison McDaniel singled to temporarily put three runners aboard. McDaniel was thrown out between first and second as the lead runner was held at third.
A walk to Sondreia Hillie reloaded the bases. Jessi Nowell singled home courtesy runner Whitnee White to tie the game and Amber Dean's hit just inside the left-field line drove home the winning run.
New Hope took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second as Tori Harris doubled and scored when Nowell booted Regean Aultman's ground ball.
The Lady Rockets finished with 11 hits. McDaniel and Kady Chandler both had a single and a double and Nowell had two singles to lead Neshoba.
New Hope had only five hits with Harris getting a double and a homer. Aultman had a double.
Neshoba is scheduled to host Noxubee County today. Both the Lady Rockets and Lady Trojans will host first-round playoff games Saturday. The two will likely meet again the third round of the playoffs a week from Saturday.