Lewisburg used a walk-off base hit in the seventh to complete a comeback and defeat Hernando 6-5 to force a third game in the MHSAA 6A softball playoffs Saturday, May 6 at Hernando.
Northpoint Christian again qualified for the TSSAA D2-A state baseball playoffs with Friday’s 13-1 defeat of Lausanne Collegiate in five innings. It’s the third straight year for the Trojans to make the state playoffs. The last two seasons ended in the state championships series.
LEWISBURG SOFTBALL 6, HERNANDO 5: One night after seeing Hernando use a two-run homer to walk away with a victory to open the third-round MHSAA 6A softball playoff series, the Lewisburg Lady Patriots used their own walk-off to even the best-of-three series on Friday, May 5, with a 6-5 victory at Lewisburg.
It was Kylee McCaskill who provided the game-winning RBI with a single in the bottom of the seventh that scored Anna Etter as the second run of the inning.
“It was really nice to see her come out, take a deep breath, and do something for her teammates,” said Lewisburg coach Brooke Lee. “I wanted this win more for them, so it was good, it was great.”
Etter earlier tied the game in the inning with a double to right field that scored a run.
Lewisburg had to come from behind for the win on Friday night. The Lady Patriots fell behind 5-1 in the middle of the fifth inning with timely Hernando hitting and some impressive defensive plays by the Lady Tiger infield.
“They were focused and they were in the ball game,” Lee said. “We just kept the course. We’ve been talking all year about our game plan, staying the course and I thought tonight we did that.”
But Lewisburg started to turn the game around with a pair of runs in the fifth, followed by another run in the sixth to make the score 5-4, heading into the seventh inning of play and setting up the final inning hometown heroics.
For the night, Aubrey and Avery Williams, and Etter each scored a run and contributed two hits each. Aubrey and Avery Williams, Etter, Leah Walker and Bailee Davis each hit doubles as part of a 10-hit attack. Winning pitcher Casey Ragget fashioned a five-hit complete game victory after fanning three and allowing three earned runs.
On the Hernando side, Kaylin Lynch and Ally Agner each hit doubles, with Agner’s hit driving in three runs. Haylee Jackson allowed three runs, two of them earned, walked four and struck out two. Kate Johnson stepped in to relieve Jackson in the sixth inning and took the loss, allowing three earned runs while striking out two and walking one.
Friday’s Lewisburg victory sets up a deciding game three Saturday night, May 6, at the Hernando Middle School diamond. Game time is 6 p.m.
“It’s always a really good series between us and them,” Lee said. “I know it’s going to be chippy, it’s going to come down to the wire.”
NORTHPOINT CHRISTIAN BASEBALL 13, LAUSANNE COLLEGIATE 1 (5 innings):
Playing in the loser’s bracket after a tough 3-2 loss to Evangelical Christian School Thursday night, the Northpoint Christian Trojans rebounded in a big way Friday, plating 10 runs in the second inning alone on the way to blasting Lausanne Collegiate 13-1 in five innings. The TSSAA D2-A West Region tournament victory over the Lynx put Northpoint into the state playoffs for the third straight year, regardless of their outcome in the remainder of the regional tournament. The last two seasons, the Trojans reached the state championship round in the annual Spring Fling tournament in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, only to fall short of winning a state title.
Northpoint coach Stephen Kirkpatrick credits consistency to the success the Trojans have had now over the last three seasons.
“They (players) are learning to consistently be excellent on a daily basis but also are coming out here and working,” Kirkpatrick said. “They show up every day in the fall and in the spring for practice. It’s what they prepare for.”
Friday night, Northpoint opened the game with a strong pitching performance from Hudson Brown and then used that momentum to fire up the offense, said Kirkpatrick.
“I think tonight Hudson Brown set the tone on the mound, going 1-2-3 in the first inning with a big zero and the hitters just took off in the second inning,” Kirkpatrick said. “That second inning was one of the best at bats we’ve had all year.”
The 10-run second-inning outburst was followed by another three runs scored by Northpoint in the third inning for a 13-0 bulge. The Lynx would answer with a run in the fourth but could produce no further offense.
Lausanne was held to four hits and committed two errors. Northpoint was supported by 14 hits and committed just one error. The 14 Northpoint hits included three hits each from Conner McKnatt and Cade Freeze.
JB Williams doubled and tripled, and Brown backed his pitching with a home run. On the mound, the Kentucky signee threw four innings, allowed one unearned run, walked none and struck out five. Sammy Chapman struck out two in relieving Brown for the fifth inning.
Northpoint now hosts Trinity Christian Academy Saturday, May 6 as the West Region tournament has reached the Final Four. A win would mean a move into another game Monday, and again possibly on Tuesday to determine a region champion. The teams finishes in the regional tournament will determine seeding into the state playoffs.
Here is the Friday DeSoto County scoreboard:
Friday, May 5
Prep baseball
TSSAA D2-A district tournament at Northpoint
Northpoint Christian 13,. Lausanne Collegiate 1 (5 innings)
Prep softball
MHSAA 6A playoffs – third round, best of three
Lewisburg 6, Hernando 5 (Series tied 1-1)
TSSAA D2-A district tournament at Northpoint
Fayette Academy 11, Northpoint Christian 8 (Northpoint eliminated)
