Ashley Vinzant of Warren Central slides safely into third as the throw pops out of the glove of Vicksburg shortstop Dana Daigre (3) in the third inning Thursday.(The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[04/05/02]Having already clinched the Division 4-5A championship, Warren Central wanted to add a little extra to their stellar record and state ranking.

A win over Vicksburg, for starters.

Lauren Anderson tossed a three-hitter and struck out nine as the Lady Vikes (19-3, 4-0) downed VHS, 8-0.

“We didn’t want a letdown knowing we already won the division,” WC coach Lucy Young said seconds before being doused with a bucket of ice water on a chilly Thursday night. “This is the time we need to be playing our best no matter who we’re playing.”

The Missy Gators did not get a baserunner to second base.

“We haven’t hit the ball well and have struggled against her all year,” Vicksburg coach Jennifer Wilkerson said.

The Missy Gators also lost starting pitcher Emily Mathes, who was nailed in the left knee with a Katie Barnett line drive in the sixth inning. The ball ricocheted to first base for the out, but Mathes was carried off the field.

She stayed for the rest of the game and went to the hospital after.

“When my pitcher goes out, it kind of blows the whole team’s mind,” Wilkerson said. “We couldn’t get focused on the game after that.”

Marilyn Landers led the Lady Vikes’ eight-hit attack with two singles, a double and an RBI, while Barnett had a single, double and two RBIs, Ashley Chaney had a double and an RBI and Cookie Johnson had a single and an RBI.

The bottom five batters in WC’s lineup, though, went a combined 1-for-16, something Young said needs to get better as the Lady Vikes prepare for their first-round playoff matchup with Northwest Rankin.

The first two games of the best-of-three series is scheduled for April 13 at 10 a.m. and noon. Warren Central will also host Northwest Rankin Saturday at 11 a.m.

“We’re still not consistent throughout the lineup,” Young said. “But we are getting some good hits and playing heads-up baseball.”

After taking a 2-0 lead in the first inning, WC added three runs in the fourth on Landers’ RBI single and Barnett’s two-RBI double for a 5-0 lead.

The Lady Vikes added one run in the fifth and two more in the sixth for an 8-0 lead.

Vicksburg is scheduled to play Northwest Rankin today at 5:30, then Brandon at 6:30 at the Bazinsky softball fields. The Missy Gators close out the season on Tuesday at Pearl.