Missy Gators earn high-scoring win over Florence

Published 8:58 am Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Vicksburg and Florence played a close game for the first inning with the Lady Eagles having a one-run lead.

From there, disciplined hitting led the Missy Gators to victory.

The Missy Gators scored 12 runs between the second and fifth innings to beat Florence 14-10 on Tuesday and avenge a loss from earlier this season.

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Florence beat Vicksburg 14-4 in the season-opening classic game in February.

“The biggest part about it was we’ve been struggling hitting the ball,” Vicksburg coach Brian Ellis said. “We just had a better approach at the plate. We were looking for strikes and we’re ready to hit strikes and that’s what we did.”

Vicksburg scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to blow the game open.

Olivia Oakes singled in two runs and Kelcey Lockridge followed with a two-run home run over the fence in center field. Shelby Muirhead also had an RBI double as the Missy Gators had seven hits in the inning and extended their lead to 14-6.

“We put the ball in play and we hit the ball hard. They had to make some plays and they didn’t make some plays,” Ellis said. “We were aggressive on the base paths for the most part so when they made a mistake we made them pay for it.”

Florence tried to put a bandage its wounds by scoring three unearned runs in the sixth. It got another run back in the seventh, but 14-10 was as close as it could get.

Oakes pitched a complete game and also led the Missy Gators at the plate by going 3-for-4 with a triple and four RBIs. Bethany Martin was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, Myah’ Wright scored three runs and Lockridge had three RBIs.

In all, the Missy Gators had 16 hits. Every starter had at least one, and seven of their nine starters scored at least one run.

“We had a few miscues defensively when we had the big lead,” Ellis said. “We just got a bit tight right there for a little bit. I’m pleased with it.”

The Missy Gators will get a chance to avenge another loss when they play their next game, Thursday at home against Warren Central at 6 p.m.

Warren Central won the first meeting this season between the crosstown rivals, 7-2 on March 5.