Softball playoffs: Area softball teams find success in opening round of playoffs

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
April 11, 2004
Area softball teams found smooth sailing for the most part in the first round of the MHSAA state fast-pitch playoffs Saturday.
Clarkdale, Northeast Lauderdale, West Lauderdale, and Philadelphia all swept their series to advance to second-round action.
Newton County and Neshoba Central split their opening-round doubleheaders at home Saturday and will hit the road in must-win situations on Tuesday.
Choctaw Central saw its season in after getting swept at Kossuth on Friday.
Clarkdale 6-5
Bogue Chitto 1-4
In Class 1A-2A, the Lady Bulldogs advanced to the second round by knocking off the Lady Bobcats on the road.
In the opener, Brandi Howard (14-3) tossed a three-hitter as the Lady Bulldogs cruised.
Brandi Wright led the Clarkdale offense with a pair of singles. The Lady Bulldogs got five of their six runs in the third inning.
In the second game, Clarkdale won despite being held to just one hit, a triple by Savannah Satcher. The Lady Bulldogs scored four of their five runs in the fifth inning.
Bogue Chitto scored once in the first, twice in the sixth, and once in the seventh.
Howard (15-3) got the win, allowing six hits.
Clarkdale returns to action Thursday against the Richton-Ackerman winner.
NE Lauderdale 2-2
Pass Christian 0-1
In Class 4A, the Lady Trojans headed to the coast and came back with a sweep of the Lady Pirates to improve to 17-13 after going 0-17 last year.
Jana Olczak turned in a fine showing, both on the mound and at the plate, for Northeast.
In the opener, Olczak allowed only two hits in seven innings. She struck out three and walked one.
Olczak was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Capri Norris had a double and one RBI.
In the second game, Olczak tossed another seven-inning complete game. She gave up four hits and three walks while striking out three.
Olczak was again 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI. Norris had the other RBI.
The Lady Trojans return to action Thursday against the South Jones-East Central winner.
W Lauderdale 6-14
Greene County 4-7
In Class 3A, the Lady Knights swept Greene County Saturday at Leakesville to advance to second round action in just their second season of competition.
In the opener, West scored single runs in the first and second innings and put up four runs in the third.
The Lady Knights had only four hits a single each from Morgan Gullette, Hayley Campbell, Kirby Rutledge, and Sara Havard.
Brooke Lee (7-4) got the win.
The Lady Knights rolled to a 14-7 win the second game, hammering 13 hits to improve to 13-9. West scored five runs in both the first and seventh innings.
Havard, Rutledge, Campbell, Ashley Helms, Holly Herrington, and Sommer Jones each had two hits for West. Helms scored three runs, while Herrington and Campbell both scored two. Herrington had four RBIs with Campbell and Rutledge both getting two.
Katy Nabors (5-2) got the win with 4.2 innings of relief.
West returns to action Thursday against the North Pike-Collins winner.
New Albany 1-0
Neshoba Central 0-4
In Class 4A, Sondria Hillie and Whitnee White homered in the second game as the Lady Rockets salvaged a split in their series with the Lady Dawgs at Philadelphia.
In winning the second game, Neshoba Central, 21-8, got one run in the first inning and added three more in the third. Lindsey Smith (11-3) got the win, allowing only two hits.
In the opener, New Albany scored the game's only run in the first inning to make sure the series goes back to New Albany on Tuesday.
Kady Chandler (10-5) took the loss.
New Albany got a pair of hits from both Holly Cook and Torie Bishop.
Samantha Giambrone had a triple for the Lady Rockets.
Philadelphia 13-7
Resurrection 3-0
In Class 1A-2A, The Lady Tornadoes swept the Pascagoula team Saturday at Philadelphia to advance to a second-round series with the Mize-Salem winner.
In the opener, Brittany Hodges and Jillian Sparnecht each had three hits with Alex Burt and Shenique Brass both getting two for Philadelphia. One of Brass' hits was a home run, while both of Sparnecht's were doubles. Shanese Hunter also had a double.
Shelby Smith was the winning pitcher.
Philadelphia scored five runs in the third inning and added four more in the fifth.
Resurrection got all three of its runs in the top of the second.
Kossuth 11-13
Choctaw Central 1-0
In Class 3A, The Lady Warriors saw their season end with Friday's sweep at Kossuth.
The Lady Aggies scored six runs in the first inning of the opener and had a 9-0 lead after two innings of the nightcap.
Dani Wood (13-1) got the win in both games for Kossuth, 21-4.
Ahinah Alex took the loss in both games as Choctaw Central finished 5-9. The Lady Warriors had only one hit in each game.