Katie Barnett of Warren Central slides in with the first run of the Lady Vikes Invitational championship game as Vicksburg High catcher Kelsey Hudson checks the baserunner. WC won, 5-4.(The Vicksburg PostMELANIE DUNCAN)

[03/24/02]Lauren Anderson was unhittable for most of the day Saturday at the Lady Vike Invitational, and Warren Central was untouchable all day.

Anderson threw two no-hitters and capped the day with a two-hitter in the title game against Vicksburg as WC held off a late Missy Gator rally to win 5-4.

Marilyn Landers went 3-for-4 with an RBI single for WC (16-1), Candice McKay was 2-for-3 with a triple and an RBI, and Lyn Strawn had two hits.

“It’s our tournament, and you always want to win your home tournament,” said Anderson (14-1), who had 12 strikeouts against VHS and 29 in the tournament.

“I thought some of the teams would’ve been a little better, but it turned out pretty good.”

VHS went 2-1 in the tournament, including routs of St. Aloysius and Richland, but struggled against Anderson and WC.

“We struggled a little bit in the beginning. It’s tough to lose by one, but overall I see improvement and that’s what we’re looking for,” VHS coach Jennifer Wilkerson said.

The Lady Vikes (16-1) were coming off a big win over division rival Clinton on Friday, but they showed no signs of a letdown.

After throwing a three-inning no-hitter against Pearl and combining with Brittany Fuller for a five-inning no-hitter against Cleveland, Anderson started the championship game by striking out four of Vicksburg’s first five batters.

Kelsey Hudson broke Anderson’s hitless streak with a two-out infield single in the second inning, but Anderson struck out the next batter to end the inning.

VHS kept the game scoreless with some solid defense in the first two innings, but a throwing error on a bunt attempt in the third led to a three-run rally for WC.

A single by Landers, a walk to Ashley Chaney and two stolen bases put runners at first and second with one out. Anna Mitchell laid down a bunt, but the throw to first skipped into right field.

Landers and Chaney scored, and Mitchell later scored on McKay’s RBI single to make it 3-0.

The Missy Gators got out of the inning when right fielder Viola Howard made a nice diving catch and threw to first to double up McKay, but McKay made up for the mistake in the fifth inning.

She drove a liner to the gap in right center and slid into third with a triple. The relay throw to third kicked off of VHS third baseman Dayna Nugent and down the left field line, allowing McKay to score.

The Lady Vikes added another run in the fifth on an RBI single by Landers to make it 5-0, but Anderson finally started to tire in the sixth.

Katie Jenkins led off with a single to right, Heather Shelby reached on an error and Anderson walked the next two batters to force in a run. After a strikeout and a fielder’s choice left the bases loaded with two outs, Anderson uncorked a wild pitch.

Emily Mathes scored to cut it to 5-2, and Lauren Johnson followed with a soft liner up the middle.

Landers was unable to handle it, and two more runs scored for VHS to cut it to 5-4.

“The girls got fired up and got some confidence. We were able to turn the tables around,” VHS coach Jennifer Wilkerson said.

Johnson retired the Lady Vikes without incident in the bottom of the sixth, but Anderson bounced back to put the Missy Gators down in order in the seventh to end the game.

“I think she just kindof loster her focus a little bit,” WC coach Lucy Young said of Anderson. “But she works well under pressure. We want her out there in those situations and she always comes through for us.”

VHS 11, St. Al 4

Vicksburg opened the tournament with a seven-run first inning against crosstown foe St. Aloysius (7-2) and cruised to the win.

Dayna Nugent went 2-for-3 with an RBI single for VHS, which had only one hit in the first inning but drew two walks and two hit batters from St. Al starter Allison Hearn.

Katie Jenkins added two hits, two runs and an RBI for the Missy Gators, while Heather Shelby had an RBI single and Viola Howard drove in two runs with a single. Wendy Womble had an RBI double.

St. Al’s Anna Fulcher went 2-for-2, Amber Misiak and Danielle Klaus each had an RBI double and Hearn had an RBI single.

St. Al 5, Richland 3

St. Al rallied back from a 3-0 deficit after one inning, scoring four runs in the third to claim the win.

Laura Beth Lyons had two hits and two stolen bases for the Lady Flashes, and Mary Myers Franco delivered a clutch two-run single in the third inning that gave St. Al a 4-3 lead.

Anna Fulcher and Danielle Klaus each had RBI singles for St. Al, Kelly Haden drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Amber Misiak had a double.

Allison Hearn (3-2) bounced back from her rough outing against VHS to strike out six batters in four innings, allowing three hits and five walks to earn the win.

Larame Lester went 2-for-2 with a pair of singles and a run for Richland (4-5).

VHS 13, Richland 0

Wendy Womble went 4-for-4 with two triples, five RBIs and two runs scored to lead VHS to the rout of Richland.

Katie Jenkins added two hits, including an RBI single, and scored two runs, and Viola Howard and Heather Shelby each went 1-for-3 with two runs scored.

Emily Mathes (3-6) alowed only two hits in five innings to get the win.

WC 10, Pearl 0

Lauren Anderson threw the first of her two no-hitters, striking out five in three innings against Pearl.

Tranyce Peoples went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, Keisha Blue drove in two runs and Cookie Johnson had an RBI single for WC, which scored four runs in the first and sixth in the third.

WC 5, Cleveland 0

Anderson struck out 12 in four innings and walked only one before giving way to Brittany Fuller as the Lady Vikes won in five innings.

Fuller struck out two and hit one batter to complete the no-hitter.

Cookie Johnson provided most of the offense for WC with a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning.

Katie Barnett added an RBI single in the third for the Lady Vikes.