South State play gets going today

By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
April 23, 2004
Four area fast-pitch softball teams are still in the hunt for state championships when playoff action resumes today.
Clarkdale, Philadelphia, West Lauderdale, and Neshoba Central are still in the running, with Northeast Lauderdale being eliminated last week.
West Lauderdale and Neshoba Central both get the jump on the third round as they begin their best-of-three series today with the Lady Knights headed to the coast to take on Our Lady Academy and the Lady Rockets of Neshoba hosting New Hope.
West Lauderdale, 15-10, swept North Pike 15-1 and 17-8 Saturday at
Collinsville to advance to the Class 3A South State championship against the
13-11 Crescents of OLA. The Crescents eliminated defending Class 3A state champion Newton County in the first round.
The teams will play a doubleheader today starting at 4 p.m. at Bay St. Louis. A third game, if necessary, would be at Collinsville on Monday at a time yet to be decided.
Brooke Lee (9-6) will get the nod for West in the series opener with Katy
Nabors (5-1) also available.
Leading OLA is Rachel Cuevas, who one-hit Newton County in the rubber game of that series.
Neshoba Central, 24-8, had no problem disposing of Saltillo to advance to the Class 4A North State championship. The Lady Rockets swept the series with 12-2 and 9-0 victories.
Leading the Lady Rockets are pitchers Kady Chandler (12-5) and Lindsey Smith (12-3).
New Hope, 26-4, ousted Tishomingo County 1-0 and 7-3 in that series. Leading the Lady Trojans on the mound is Tori Harris (22-4). She one-hit Tishomingo County in her last outing.
Neshoba Central and New Hope split a pair of regular season games with the Lady Rockets winning 6-0 at Neshoba and the Lady Trojans taking a 6-2 win at New Hope.
Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Neshoba Central. A third
game, if needed, would be at New Hope on Monday at 6 p.m.
Clarkdale and Philadelphia open their Class 1A/2A South State series
Saturday at 2 p.m. with a pair of games at Clarkdale. A third game, if needed, would be at Philadelphia on Monday with a 5:30 p.m. start.
The Lady Bulldogs swept Richton 14-2 and 7-4 last week, while the Lady
Tornadoes took two games from Mize Saturday (7-1 and 4-0) to win that series in three games.
Senior Emily Howard (17-3) leads Clarkdale, 22-4, while seventh grader
Shelby Smith (13-4) leads Philadelphia in the pitching department. Freshman Erin Breland is 4-0 for the 20-5 Lady Tornadoes.