Published: October 15, 2008 10:51 am            

Newton County downs Southeast for South State title, advances to 3A finals Saturday

DECATUR — For the fourth straight year, the Newton County Lady Cougars will be part of the MHSAA state championship series in slow-pitch softball.

Newton County had 13 hits and took advantage of 13 Southeast Lauderdale errors in Game 3 of their Class 3A South State championship series Tuesday night to win the rubber game 15-10. Southeast capitalized on 11 errors by Newton County to take a 22-13 win in Game 2. Newton County won the opener 9-4.

The Lady Cougars (25-6) will take on North Pontotoc (25-6) for the Class 3A state championship Saturday at the V.A. Fields in Jackson with Game 1 set for 11 a.m.

“Our girls showed a lot of heart and a lot of character,” said Newton County head coach Justin Chaney. “They were a lot of heroes in different capacities.

“I was concerned going into Game 3 because we were dead as all get out because they had beaten the tar out of us. For us to come back shows a lot of character. These young ladies have come a long way since the start of the season. We made some defensive errors, but we also made some big plays at clutch times.”

Southeast finished 20-9.

“Overall, when you look at it, it was a night of errors,” said Southeast head coach Mack Fanning. “If you put it in play and make the other team make the attempts, things are going to happen and that was evident tonight. Pressure will pop the pipe.”

In Game, 3, Newton County took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning with Nikki Cumberland’s three-run homer to right field being the big hit.

Southeast pulled even with five runs in the top of the fourth with Tiffany Roulier, Cortney Harper, and Brianna Newell getting RBI singles and Laci Maxwell a sacrifice fly.

The Lady Cougars snapped the tie with six runs in the bottom of the fourth.

Key hits were two-run triples by Shelby Bishop and Brooke Boulton. Southeast committed four errors in the inning.

The Lady Tigers closed to within 11-9 with four runs in the top of the sixth. Shelby Sheppard had a two-run double and Maxwell had an RBI single.

Newton County responded with four runs — all unearned thanks to five Southeast errors — in the bottom of the sixth.

Lainie Simcox homered in the top of the seventh for Southeast’s last run.

Emily Davis had three singles for Newton County. Catherine Brand had a single and a double, Cumberland had a single and a homer, and winning pitcher Wendy McCracken (24-6) had two singles.

Southeast had 14 hits with Roulier getting three singles, Simcox a double and a homer, and Newell and Kimberly Duncan two singles each.

Erin Conley (18-9) took the loss.

In Game 2, Southeast sent 20 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and scored 15 runs to turn a 13-7 deficit into a 22-13 lead. Southeast had eight hits in the frame with Newton County committing five errors and walking four (three intentionally). Denisha Knight had an RBI single and an RBI double in the big inning. Taylor Bailey had a two-run single, Miranda Chatham had an RBI triple, Newell and Simcox had RBI doubles, and Paige Sheppard had a two-run single.

“It’s the Newton County-Southeast rivalry,” Chaney said. “We got up 13-7 and the next thing I know they’ve scored 15 in one inning.”

Sheppard and Knight both had three of Southeast’s 17 hits, while Simcox, Bailey, and Brittany Pounders each had two.

Conley got the win with McCracken taking the loss.

Newton County had 13 hits with Summer Alexander getting three and Davis and Kasie Buckley both getting two.

In the opener, Newton County scored twice in the first and fourth frames and pulled away with five runs in the bottom of the fifth.

The Lady Cougars had 13 hits with Brand getting three, including a double and a triple. Samantha Cooley had three singles. Davis had two singles.

McCracken got the win with Conley taking the loss.

Southeast also had 13 hits with Harper getting three singles. Knight, Simcox, and Conley each had two hits.

        

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