Photo: Lewisburg shortstop Kara Walker makes the catch with Hernando runners on base during Saturday night’s 8-0 Lady Tigers victory. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Apr 12, 2025- The battle to determine the Region 1-7A softball championship and the region’s top seed in the upcoming 7A playoffs comes down to Hernando at DeSoto Central Tuesday night. The Lady Tigers shut out Lewisburg 8-0 Saturday night at Hernando to set up the Tuesday contest for the title, as DeSoto Central is unbeaten in division games and is the only team to tag the Lady Tigers with a loss.
Home runs from Jayla Sites and Macie Dever Boaz, coupled with Haylee Jackson’s shutout pitching while scattering eight hits, paced the Hernando attack, along with Olivia Higginbotham’s three hits and three runs-batted-in.
Hernando’s Olivia Higginbotham takes a lead from second base during Saturday’s game against Lewisburg. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Coach Nicki Whitten said Higginbotham is doing a great job putting the ball in play from the leadoff spot.
“I’m just giving my all out there,” Higginbotham said. “Just see the ball and hit the ball and just play great.”
Hernando burst through in the second inning with four runs. Higginbotham’s double scored Bella Adams and Madison York. Higginbotham would take third on the throw from the outfielder. That was followed by Sites blasting a home run to center field for the 4-0 lead.
The Lady Tigers would add three more in the third inning when Dever Boaz hit the first pitch of the inning over the center field wall for a 5-0 lead. Molly Anderson’s sacrifice fly scored Hayden Hodge as Emma Abrams took over in the circle for Lewisburg. That was followed by another Higginbotham base hit to right that plated Adams for the 7-0 advantage.
One more run would come across for Hernando in the fifth inning when Abrams hit Callie Desmond with the bases loaded.
Contributions throughout the roster are making the Lady Tigers formidable at this point in the season, Whitten said.
“They’re playing as a team, one-through-nine are contributing, and I think that’s making a huge difference in our line up right now,” Whitten said.
Hernando pitcher Haylee Jackson delivered am eight-hit shutout in the Lady Tigers’ victory on Saturday. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
Jackson struck out four in the circle for Hernando in posting the pitching victory, underscoring her part in a deep rotation the Lady Tigers have used the entire year.
“With four pitchers and not having to show all of our cards during the regular season, that’s a difference maker for us,” Whitten explained.
With the enormity of Tuesday’s game for playoff position and region bragging rights on the line, Higginbotham said her team was still able to focus on disposing of the Lady Patriots first before Tuesday’s contest.
“We just had to think ‘one game at a time’ and this one mattered first,” Higginbotham said. “We had to get this one first in order to really prepare for Tuesday.”
Kara Walker’s three hits led the Lady Patriots offense against Hernando. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
“I know our girls are ready to play them again,” Whitten said. “I know they’re ready to respond and I hope that’s what everybody sees Tuesday night.”
Kara Walker led the Lewisburg offense with three hits and Payton Moss, coming in as a replacement in right field, had the team’s only extra base hit with a double. Starting pitcher Lexi Edmiston was tagged for seven of Hernando’s eight runs, all earned, and Abrams struck out four in 3.2 innings in relief.
SGT. BROCK THROWS OUT FIRST PITCH DURING FIRST RESPONDERS NIGHT: DeSoto County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brian Brock, whose heroic actions in stopping a wrong way driver on I-269 last month by making the driver crash into his squad vehicle, threw out the first pitch of Saturday’s game. The honorary first pitch was part of First Responders Night in Hernando to honor Hernando and DeSoto County first responders.
Saturday, April 12
Prep baseball
South Panola 8, Lake Cormorant 7
Magnolia Heights 2, Briarcrest Christian 1
Saltillo 4, Center Hill 0
Southaven 8, Horn Lake 2
Prep softball
Hernando 8, Lewisburg 0
New Albany 13, Center Hill 6
JUCO baseball
Mississippi Gulf Coast 12, Northwest 1
Mississippi Gulf Coast 4, Northwest 1
JUCO softball
Northwest 4, Mississippi Gulf Coast 2
Mississippi Gulf Coast 6, Northwest 3 (8 innings)
JUCO women’s tennis
NJCAA Region 23 – third place match
Meridian 5, Northwest 0
SPORTS ETC.: Horn Lake’s football program has gone to a different level to help promote its players as potential college recruits. Horn Lake has become the first program in the state and Memphis metro area to partner with the Athletic Academy. Through its website, college football recruiters can learn about prospects, Horn Lake coaches and contact information. The Horn Lake football recruiting page is found here.
