Warren Central’s softball region championship hopes are slim, but its postseason qualifications are certain.

The Lady Vikes made short work of Columbus in a doubleheader, winning 16-0 in game one and 16-0 in game two at Lucy Young Field on Monday. The two wins officially clinched a playoff berth and earned them at least the No. 2 seed from Region 2-6A in the Class 6A playoffs.

Warren Central (17-4, 5-1 Region 2-6A) can clinch the region title by beating Vicksburg at home on Tuesday night, and run-ruling Neshoba Central on the road Wednesday. Neshoba won 20-11 when they met in March, so the Lady Vikes will need to win by 10 runs in the rematch. The way Warren Central has been hitting the ball and scoring runs lately, it’s not out of the realm of possibility.

The Lady Vikes have scored at least 10 runs in seven consecutive games. They hit that total in the first inning of game one of Monday’s doubleheader, as the first seven batters reached base and they raced out to a 10-0 lead.
Six more runs in the second helped finish the game by the mercy rule after only three innings.

Madison Pant was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. She also pitched three innings, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out six batters.

Makayla Jackson and Sarah Cameron Fancher scored three runs apiece, and Jenn Smith reached base three times and scored twice.

In game two, the Lady Vikes started a little slower — they only led 5-0 through two innings — before erupting for 11 runs in the third to secure another run-rule victory.

Tyra Bridges was the game two hitting star, going 2-for-2 with a double, triple, four RBIs and two runs scored.

Smith was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Pant drove in three runs and Fancher scored three.

Fancher and Keke McKay also combined on a three-inning no-hitter. Fancher worked the first inning and McKay the last two innings. McKay had four strikeouts and Fancher had one.

Ridgeland 10, Vicksburg 2
Ridgeland batted around and scored eight runs in the fourth inning as it surged past Vicksburg High on Monday.

Brooke Williams hit a two-run double during the big rally, while Kamiya Fultz was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored for Ridgeland. Braylee Williams and Kennedy Brooks had three hits apiece.

Amari Johnson hit an RBI double in the top of the fourth inning to give Vicksburg a short-lived lead. It did not scored again until Trinity McGloster hit an RBI double with two outs in the seventh inning.

Johnson finished with two hits for the Missy Gators.