Photo: Hernando players load the charter bus for departure to Hattiesburg and the MHSAA 7A state softball championship series this week. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
May 13, 2025 – Hernando fast-pitch softball got a big send off from high school and middle school students, and fans, as the team left Tuesday morning for Hattiesburg and the MHSAA 7A state championship series against defending champion Northwest Rankin.
It was Northwest Rankin that stopped Hernando’s attempt at a state title last spring and it is Hernando that now hopes to halt the Lady Cougars’ try for a repeat.
Northwest Rankin will enter Wednesday’s game one of the best-of-three series with a 31-4 record, while Hernando will come in with a record of 33-2. Both teams are ranked in the top 50 nationally, according to the prep sports service Maxpreps; Northwest Rankin at number 40 and Hernando is ranked 21st in the nation. However, Maxpreps puts the Lady Cougars at number one in MHSAA 7A and Hernando at number two.
The teams have played once before this season and it was a 5-2 victory for Hernando in March over the South Half winning Lady Cougars.
Among common opponents, Northwest Rankin has an 8-1 record and Hernando is 12-2. The Lady Cougars are unbeaten in the postseason with Hernando at 6-1, with the only loss being to Lewisburg during the Lady Tigers’ three-game series victory.
“I know they’re solid and I do know they lost a couple seniors, but they’re always going to be a strong softball program,” said Hernando coach Nicki Whitten about Northwest Rankin. “We’ve got to keep their leadoff hitter off base if at all possible. “Grace Wallace is also really good on the mound and a really good hitter, too.”
Games Wednesday and Thursday at the Southern Miss Softball Complex are at approximately 5:45 p.m. each night, although the actual start time will be determined by the length of the previous games. Whitten said winning the first game will go a long way toward determining the champion.
Whitten said she expects to use all four of her team’s pitchers during the series, but plans to start Haylee Jackson Wednesday and “we’ll see where it goes from there.”
Jackson allowed just four hits in Hernando’s 5-0 shutout victory over Madison Central in the first game of the North Half Championship Series, her last outing in the circle.
Here is the sendoff as the Lady Tigers left Hernando Tuesday morning for Hattiesburg.
NORTHPOINT SOFTBALL SEASON ENDS: Northpoint Christian’s softball season ended Tuesday with a 13-2 loss to Lakeway Christian Academy of Morristown, Tennessee in the TSSAA Division 2-A first round. The contest actually began Monday but weather suspended the contest to continue Tuesday in Nashville, Tennessee. Northpoint got four hits with the two runs but committed seven errors in the game that ended in the sixth inning. Josie Beth Smith brought in both Northpoint runs with a third-inning single that scored Faith Ryan and Chloe King.
Ada Woodruff and Trinity Garvin split time in the circle with Garvin striking out four, Woodruff fanned two. Lakeway Christian scored five times in the sixth inning to end the game with the 10-run rule.
TSSAA Division 2-A baseball sub-state round (best of three series – times are Central time)
Northpoint Christian at Providence Christian Academy – 4 p.m., May 14 (Game one)
Northpoint Christian at Providence Christian Academy – May 14, to follow (Game two)
Northpoint Christian at Providence Christian Academy – 12 noon May 15 (if needed)
MAIS AAAAA state baseball championship (Best of three series)
Game 1: Magnolia Heights 14, Columbia 1 (Magnolia Heights lead series 1-0)
Game 2: Columbia at Magnolia Heights – 5 p.m., May 14
Game 3: Magnolia Heights at Columbia – 5 p.m., May 16 (if needed)
TSSAA D2-A softball first round – at Donelson Christian Academy, Nashville
Lakeway Christian 13, Northpoint Christian 2 (6 innings)
MHSAA 7A state softball championship (Best of three series – at Southern Miss)
Game 1: Hernando vs. Northwest Rankin – 5:45 p.m., May 14
Game 2: Hernando vs. Northwest Rankin – 5:45 p.m., May 15
