Lady Vikes pound Pearl to keep pace in Region 6-6A softball race
Published 11:18 pm Tuesday, April 4, 2023
Warren Central might not have wanted to run up the score Tuesday against Pearl, but it certainly didn’t hurt in the grand scheme of things.
Jenn Smith hit an inside-the-park home run and finished with four RBIs, and Sarah Cameron Fancher went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored as Warren Central crushed Pearl 15-0 on senior night at Lucy Young Field.
Because of the various tiebreakers that could wind up determining the MHSAA Region 6-6A softball championship, the Lady Vikes (12-9, 2-1 Region 6-6A) needed a run-rule victory over Pearl to keep pace with Northwest Rankin (21-2, 4-0).
Northwest Rankin beat Warren Central 1-0 last week, and the teams are scheduled to play again Thursday at 6:15 p.m in Flowood, weather permitting. The Lady Vikes need to win that game by two runs to secure the head-to-head tiebreaker and the region title. If they win by one. run differential against the other teams in the region — Pearl and Terry — will come into play.
Northwest Rankin has won its other three region games by a combined score of 51-0. Warren Central has beaten Pearl twice, by a combined 27-0, and has not faced Terry yet. There is a 10-run cap on run differential tiebreakers.
The Lady Vikes took care of business on their end Tuesday by banging out 10 hits and drawing seven walks.
Zion Harvey walked twice and scored three runs, Abby Morgan was 3-for-3 with one RBI, and Smith and Fancher had a couple of big hits each.
Smith’s RBI single in the first inning brought in WC’s first run, and her three-run inside-the-park homer in the second made it 7-0. Fancher hit a two-run single right before Smith’s home run, and also singled and scored during an eight-run rally in the third inning.
Morgan, the Lady Vikes’ ace, turned in another outstanding pitching performance. She threw all five innings and allowed three hits and one walk while striking out nine.
Germantown 10, Vicksburg 0
Jordyn McClellan struck out seven batters while throwing a no-hitter to lead Germantown past Vicksburg High (9-9) on Tuesday.
Meg Glasgow was 3-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored for Germantown, and Anna Leigh Ashley was 2-for-3 with three RBIs.
Amari Johnson and Jordan Grace drew walks for Vicksburg to account for its only baserunners. McClellan retired the first nine batters she faced before Johnson walked to lead off the fourth inning.