By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
October 18, 2004
Four moved on while six played their final games of 2004 in last week's third-round action in the MHSAA slow-pitch softball playoffs.
A pair of Division 5-3A teams West Lauderdale (28-4) and Newton County (22-12) will square off Tuesday at Decatur for the Class 3A South State championship. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.
The two split a pair of regular season games with West winning 6-5 at Collinsville and Newton County winning 5-4 at Decatur.
The Lady Knights and Lady Cougars have dominated Class 3A the last four years with West winning state championships in 2000, 2002, and 2003 and Newton County winning in 2001.
Defending Class 1A state champion Union (26-7) will travel to Bogue Chitto (25-9) in the 1A South State title series Tuesday at 5 p.m.
In Class 2A, Philadelphia (20-8) knocked off Clarkdale to advance to the 2A South State championship series. The Lady Tornadoes will host St. Andrew's (32-2) of Ridgeland at Burnside Park at 5 p.m.
Meridian (19-11), Neshoba Central (24-8), Clarkdale (27-6), Quitman (19-11), Southeast Lauderdale (23-14), and Enterprise (14-17) all had their seasons end last week.
West Lauderdale swept Southeast Lauderdale 14-3 and 3-0 to reach the 3A South State finals. Newton County took two at Leakesville over Greene County, 13-2 and 1-0 in a 10-inning thriller.
The West-Newton County winner will meet the Corinth (22-14)-Cleveland (25-10) winner. West defeated Corinth in last year's state finals in three games.
In Class 1A, Union fended off Sebastopol in three games, 11-0, 4-6, and 5-2, while Bogue Chitto upset West Lincoln 5-4, 1-8, and 3-2 to take that series.
The Union-Bogue Chitto winner will face the Ingomar (28-7)-Myrtle (27-9) winner for the 1A state championship. Union and Ingomar have tangled in the finals the last two years with each coming away with one title.
Philadelphia shocked Clarkdale 10-15, 10-8, and 15-12 to earn the right to host St. Andrew's, whose two losses have been to Florence and Newton County. The Lady Tornadoes will be looking for their first trip to the state finals since winning it all in 2000.
St. Andrew's swept Enterprise 15-5 and 14-3 early Saturday afternoon, allowing Lady Saints' head coach Mark Fanning the chance to take in the Clarkdale-Philadelphia series.
The Philadelphia-St. Andrew's winner will play the Smithville (23-11)-Hamilton (26-8) winner for the state championship.
All state championship series are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the V.A. Fields in Jackson.