Softball roundup: Lady Vikes eliminated from playoff race; Enterprise rallies to beat Vicksburg

Published 11:57 pm Thursday, April 8, 2021

For the first time in 20 years, Warren Central will not be part of the MHSAA fast-pitch softball playoffs.

Makenzie Cooley went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, Sierra McKinley and Rowan Braley each had two hits and scored two runs, and Clinton beat Warren Central 8-5 on Thursday.

The loss eliminated Warren Central (6-8-1, 0-5 MHSAA Region 4-6A) from contention for the Class 6A playoffs. Three of the four teams in the region advance to the postseason, and the Lady Vikes are two games behind third-place Clinton (9-6-1, 2-3) with only one region game remaining. It is the first time they’ve missed the playoffs since 2001, the program’s third year of existence.

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“It’s very disappointing. We just couldn’t seem to fire on all cylinders. We were missing something every game,” Warren Central coach Dana McGivney said. “It’s disappointing because you feel you should be there, but at the same time we didn’t do the things we needed to do to get there.”

Germantown and Madison Central are tied for first place with 4-1 records in region play.

Warren Central still has seven games remaining in the regular season, beginning Monday night at Germantown. McGivney said the last two weeks of the season will provide her younger players a chance to get some more game reps in.

“We start all ninth- and 10th-graders,” McGivney said. “Our goal is to win most of the games and make the most of the time we have left. It gives us a chance to finish the season strong and build on what we’ve done for next year.”

Warren Central needed to beat Clinton by at least three runs on Thursday to keep its playoff hopes alive, but got off to a bad start and played from behind all night.

McKinley and Braley hit back-to-back RBI singles, and two more runs came across on Mikayla Bibb’s single to give Clinton a 4-1 lead. Cooley hit a two-run double in the fourth inning and the Lady Arrows scored two more runs in the fifth to push their advantage to 8-3.

Warren Central scored single runs in each of the last three innings, but never got closer than three runs in the later innings. It left nine runners on base in the game.

Mary Evelyn Hossley went 2-for-3 with two runs scored for the Lady Vikes, and Sarah Cameron Fancher reached base three times, scored one run and drove in another. Kayleigh Karel also went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, and Kamryn Morson had two hits and an RBI.

Enterprise 13, Vicksburg 9

Natalie Williams hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning to give Enterprise-Lincoln the lead for good, and the Lady Jackets beat Vicksburg on Thursday.

Enterprise scored five runs in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to overcome a late three-run deficit. Williams finished with three hits and three RBIs, Kalie Nuckles went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Hannah Jergins drove in two runs for Enterprise.

Vicksburg committed eight errors. Only three of Enterprise’s 13 runs were earned.

Madelyn McAdam went 2-for-4 and scored two runs for the Missy Gators, Makiya Adams had two hits and Jamie Ward scored two runs.