Warren Central got through the first round of the Class 5A-6A softball playoffs the same way it got there — by knocking the cover off the ball.

Sarah Kate Smith and Cocoa Fultz each hit a grand slam, and Smith added a solo shot, as the Lady Vikes beat Ridgeland 27-0 in Game 1 of a first round series Tuesday at Lucy Young Field. They then completed the sweep of the best-of-three series by winning 11-1 in Game 2.

Warren Central advanced to the second round of the playoffs for just the second time in five seasons. It will host New Hope in a best-of-three series  Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.

“We’re definitely happy to still be playing,” Warren Central coach Dana McGivney said.
Warren Central (22-7) has scored an average of 12 runs per game this season, and needed less than two innings to exceed that total in Game 1 against Ridgeland.

After scoring two unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Lady Vikes scored 25 times in the second. They batted around twice, and had eight extra base hits among their 16 total hits in the inning.
Smith homered twice and doubled, Ashley Coley doubled and tripled, and Fultz hit her grand slam.

Fultz and Morgan Stewart finished the game with four RBIs apiece, and Smith was 3-for-4 with seven RBIs and four runs scored. April Lynn and Kaitlyn Mitchell also had two hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored each.

The win was a bit of a breakout performance for the Lady Vikes, who had lost three of their previous four games coming into the playoffs.

“It was very good to hit the ball well today after a subpar performance in two games on Saturday,” McGivney said. “They made a few errors, but we were smashing the ball.”

The Lady Vikes didn’t hit at quite the same pace in Game 2, but still did plenty well enough to win a five-inning game shortened by the mercy rule.

Fultz went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, Stewart was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Lynn had two hits and an RBI. Dominique Caldwell also tripled and scored a run.

Warren Central scored in every inning. A two-run double by Fultz keyed a five-run rally in the second inning that broke the game open, and it finished the game when Stewart scored on a base hit by Smith with one out in the fifth.