Lady Lions hold off late Houlka rally to advance

“I’m very proud of them for fighting it out and finishing the ballgame,” Biggersville coach Cole Harris said. “They showed a little dog tonight. They had to fight for it a little bit, and that’s what playoffs are all about.”

The Lady Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Taylor Mitchell and Marlee McCalister each drew walks and scored on passed balls.

Houlka cut it to a one-run game in the second, but Biggersville was able to pad its lead in the third and fourth innings with six runs.

McKinsey Coleman drove in two runs with an infield single in the third after Mitchell’s base hit and McCalister reaching on an error.

“One of the biggest things we haven’t been able to get done once this year, but Gracie (Humbers) got a bunt down that moved those two runners over,” Harris said. “McKinsey came in behind her and cleaned up. We tried it so many times this year, and it was a great bunt.”

The Lady Lions batted around in the fourth and had three run-scoring hits that led to four runs – McCalister with an infield single, Anna Cait Ozbirn with an RBI hit to center field and Coleman with a double to left. Gracie Humbers also had a base hit in the inning, and Sadiya Hill drew a walk and came in to score on a wild pitch.

Mitchell’s double was the only hit in the last two innings for Biggersville, and Houlka made some noise with a four-run sixth inning that included a pair of errors for the Lady Lions.

The Lady Wildcats put two on in the top of the seventh but McCalister snagged a liner back to the pitcher’s circle to finish off the win.

“It was a great play there at the end,” Harris said. “We made a bunch of great plays. With Mollie (Willis), our catcher going out in the second inning, Taylor (Mitchell) stepped in and did an awesome job back there. Sierra Hastings hasn’t played short except for a few junior varsity games, and she came in and made a great play in the hole. Then we had Sadiya (Hill), our eighth grader, step in the outfield, and she’s fast as lightning with a lot of potential.”

McCalister had just one earned run charged to her out of the five allowed. She scattered six hits, walked three and struck out 10.

“Marlee was exhausted. Going into this game, we didn’t know if she was going to pitch, but she wanted the ball,” Harris said. “She is a competitor, so she wanted it. She ran out of gas, but she stuck it out. We gave them too much air, had two errors in the sixth, and they capitalized on it. Their record doesn’t show it, but they are a good team. Their pitcher throws strikes and hits her spots.”

Baseball Corinth 10, Clarksdale 0

The Warriors were highlighted by a big day at the plate from junior Madden Butler, who smashed a pair of home runs, including the walkoff one to end the game with the mercy rule in the fifth inning.

Butler’s homer in the fifth was a two-run shot, and he also had another two-run bomb in the third inning.

Samuel Curtis tossed the one-hitter, walking two and striking out seven on the night.

Griffin Enis joined Butler as Warriors with two-hit nights, also hitting a double and driving in a pair. John Neal Welch also hit a double, that jump started Corinth’s five-run second inning.

The Warriors had four free passes that brought in runs, and Triston Marlar added a sacrifice fly. Enis’ RBI double and Butler’s two-run homer made it 8-0 in the third.

Game 2 is on Friday at Clarksdale.

Alcorn Central 8, Winona 1

The Bears were victorious in the road in their opening game of the playoffs.

Jackson Miller went the distance and struck out 10 in the win, also going 2 for 3 at the plate. Alex Gee had a pair of doubles, and Andrew Williams and Reed Johnson also had two hits.

Alcorn Central scored two in the second, including a Drake Williams RBI single, and two more in the third, including RBI hits from Miller and Johnson that pushed their lead to 4-1.

Gee added an RBI double in the fifth, and Andrew Williams had one in the sixth, then scored on a Miller base hit.

The Bears host Game 2 on Friday night at 6 p.m.

Booneville 8, Yazoo County 0

Kade White went the distance and allowed three hits and a walk, while striking out nine.

Tre Miller had a pair of hits, including a double, while Ben Sandlin also hit a double in the win. Both drove in a pair of runs.

Booneville 17, Yazoo County 1

Zion Young had a pair of hits, while Ben Sandlin hit a triple and Jack Sandlin hit a double. Clark Janzen struck out six in three innings.