In a battle of defending state softball champions Monday, Kosciusko came out on the short end of a 3-1 game with Neshoba Central, winner of eight straight 5A titles.
It was a pitching matchup between Anna Grace Whitehead for Kosciusko and Lanayah Henry for Neshoba Central. Both allowed four hits. Whitehead had five strikeouts and two walks, while Henry fanned four and walked one.
Gracie Williams gets the start for Kosciusko.
Kevin Brunt / The Star-Herald
“Anna Grace pitched a tremendous game,” said Kosciusko coach Tony Terry. “Two really good teams playing each other. We played hard and just came up a little short.”
After Neshoba Central took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on an unearned run, the Lady Whippets tied in the bottom of the inning when Alexandra West reached on an error and scored on a two-out double by Whitehead.
Neshoba Central went ahead in the fourth on a triple by Mauhree Jones and a ground out. The Lady Rockets added an insurance run in the sixth on a single by Tenly Grisham, a sacrifice bunt and a ground-out.
Kosciusko put two on with one out in the bottom of the seventh on singles by Campbell Blaine and Maicee Coleman but was unable to score.
Natalie Ryals makes contact for a base hit.
Kevin Brunt / The Star-Herald
In games last week, Kosciusko defeated Louisville 18-1, Nanih Waiya 16-0 and Lake 9-3. Louisville was a 4-4A game, improving the Lady Whippets’ region record to 2-0.
“We went back to playing like we are supposed to play,” Terry said. “We got timely hitting. We hit the ball up and down the lineup. We finally started getting production from the bottom of the order.”
Gracie Williams and Mary Kimble Price combined for the three-inning victory over Louisville, allowing two hits, with eight strikeouts and one walk.,
Blaine had a big day in the victories over Nanih Waiya and Lake Saturday with two doubles, a triple, a single and seven RBIs. Makynlee Dickerson had four hits and scored four runs in the two games, Coleman singled, doubled and scored twice against Nanih Waiya. Whitehead, Lizzie Kate Jones, Williams, and Anna Mancell each had two hits and Price a double against Lake.
Whitehead pitched three hitless innings against Nanih Waiya with five strikeouts. Williams allowed Lake nine hits and fanned six.
It was the third time this year that Kosciusko defeated Lake, the defending 2A state champion.
The Lady Whippets played at Leake Central Tuesday, will be at Choctaw Central Thursday, at Senatobia for a doubleheader Saturday and have a rematch at home with Choctaw Central next Monday. Leake Central and Choctaw Central are region games.
