Neshoba, Newton Co., await 2nd round games
By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
April 19, 2003
Neshoba Central and Newton County breezed to opening-round wins in the state fast-pitch playoffs, while Union needed three games to take its series with Hatley.
All three resume their quest for state championships today.
Neshoba Central vs. Grenada
The Lady Rockets had no problems with Pearl in the opening round, taking 14-1 and 15-8 wins to close out the Class 4A series in two games.
Next up for coach Rusty Cumberland's 21-6 squad are the Grenada Lady Chargers, 18-7. Game one is set for today at 5 p.m. at Neshoba with the
best-of-three series to wrap up Saturday at Grenada with a noon start.
that matters."
The Lady Chargers lost to Terry in the 2002 North State finals. Grenada
took a 2-0 win over Tishomingo County on Tuesday to advance to the second round. The two split shutouts on Saturday with Grenada winning 1-0 and Tishomingo taking a 4-0 victory.
Neshoba's Kady Chandler got the win in both games with Pearl to up her record to 13-2. Lindsey Smith has a 9-4 mark.
Top offensive performers for the Lady Rockets are Chandler, Smith,
shortstop Jessi Nowell, third baseman Sarah Williamson, designated
hitter/first baseman Samantha Giambrone, and left fielder Allison McDaniels.
Catcher Alana Moore, the team's lone senior, has been hampered by a
broken knuckle on her left hand.
said of the East Central Community College signee.
Leading Grenada is pitcher Fair Pender.
Newton County vs. Purvis
The defending Class 3A state champion Lady Cougars cruised to a 17-1,
12-0 first-round sweep of North Pike to improve to 24-4.
Next up is Purvis, 10-6, which needed three games to get past Richland.
The Lady Tornadoes had 15-0 and 12-3 wins after Richland took the series
opener 12-9.
Purvis lost to Richland in the second round of the 2002 playoffs with Newton County going on to sweep Richland to reach the championship series with Amory.
Lady Cougar head coach Mack Fanning leaves the pitching chores to Lauren Barrett (11-1), Joy Cavenaugh (9-1), and Lindsey Little (4-2).
Leading hitters are Kristin Chaney, Dominique Mapp, Shelly Ferguson,
Suzanne Chaney, and Jennifer Smith with Jessica Sheehan swinging a hot bat as of late.
Game One is set for 1 p.m. today at Decatur with the series slated to
resume Saturday at Purvis at 3 p.m.
Union vs. Mooreville
After splitting Saturday's doubleheader at Union, the Lady Jackets had to
travel to Hatley on Tuesday, but came away with a 10-0 win to advance to the
second round.
Marley Smith (12-4) tossed a shutout and the Lady Jackets led 7-0 after
two innings in taking the opening-round series in Class 1A-2A.
Union outhit the Lady Tigers 11-2 and committed no errors to three for
Hatley.
Smith, Morgan Breland, Chasity Yates, and Lindsey Walker each had two singles for Union, 18-5. Loren Kennedy had a two-run single.
Smith struck out seven and walked four.
Next up for Union is a 26-4 Mooreville Lady Trooper squad than finished runner-up in 1A-2A to Clarkdale last spring and had no seniors on that squad.
Game One is set for tonight at 7 p.m. at Mooreville with two games, if needed, Saturday at Union with a 2 p.m. start.
Leading the Lady Troopers are pitchers Anna Woolven and Elizabeth Woolven. Anna is a senior, while Elizabeth is an eighth grader. The sisters are also among the team's leading hitters along with junior shortstop Candace Shumpert and sophomore third baseman Kelley Hankins.
In the 2002 playoffs, Mooreville eliminated Hatley, Eupora, and Hamilton before losing to Clarkdale in the championship series.
