[09/25/02]Warren Central coach Lucy Young used a sigh of relief to extinguish her birthday candles as the Lady Vikes used a four-run seventh inning rally to beat division rival Natchez 8-7 on Tuesday.

But the win was a gift with which Young was not entirely happy.

“I’m still young enough to be out here and still have fun, but this one put more age on me than this birthday,” Young said. “I’m always glad to win, but I was not pleased with the performance.”

The Lady Vikes committed nine errors, but used timely offense to tie Natchez for the top spot in Division 6-5A.

Tranyce Peoples led the way going 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run, and Hayley Martin helped her own pitching cause with two hits and two runs. But it was two struggling hitters that may have had the largest impact on the Lady Vikes’ win.

Down 7-6 with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Lady Vikes’ Claudette Gilman (who was 0-for-2 and had been replaced before returning in the seventh) hit an RBI single to score pinch runner Alisha Lawrence, tying the score at 7-7.

“All I could hear from the stands was, No pressure, no pressure,’ and I said, Yeah right,'” Gilman said. “I tried to forget about it and got a hit.”

Lyn Strawn came to the plate with one out and the winning run on first base. Hitless on the night, Strawn belted a shot into the outfield to drive in Gilman for the winning run.

“I was real happy as Claudette reached base safely, and then Lyn reached down and pulled a great hit for us,” Young said.

The Lady Vikes’ late inning rally spoiled what had been a dominant hitting display by the Lady Bulldogs. Toya Patterson was 4-for-4 with three runs and Tracy Davis was 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

“We just lost focus on what we needed to do, and we didn’t make plays when we needed to make plays,” Lady Bulldogs assistant coach Charley Williams said.

Natchez took a 2-0 first inning lead on account of WC errors, before Lauren Anderson closed the lead to 2-1 with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.

Natchez returned the favor in the second inning, allowing Martin to score on an error before Alicia Stamps scored Strawn with an RBI single and a 3-2 lead.

Natchez scored five runs in four innings for a 7-3 lead before Stamps scored Martin to close the lead to 7-4 in the bottom of the sixth.

Natchez left the bases loaded in the seventh inning and the Lady Vikes took full advantage.

Ashley Chaney reached on a single and was replaced by pinch runner Candice McKay. Peoples scored McKay with an RBI double and was replaced on the bases by Lawrence, who scored on Anna Mitchell’s triple. Gilman and Strawn teamed-up for the game tying and game winning hits.

“I’m glad for the win, but we haven’t won a division title yet,” Young said. “Two teams are going to the state playoffs, and one is staying home.

“I was pleased with the outcome, but I want us to play better than that.”