Warren Central went the distance in its first meeting with MHSAA softball power Neshoba Central, but just couldn’t keep up.

Neshoba Central pounded out 16 hits and scored multiple runs in all but one inning as it beat the Lady Vikes 20-11 on Wednesday.

Neshoba’s Lanayah Henry hit for the cycle, with a single, double, triple and home run, and drove in five runs. Her three-run home run in the second inning put the Lady Rockets ahead 8-0, but Warren Central battled back to take the game the full seven innings.

WC’s Makayla Jackson went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, while Keke McKay and Kamryn Morson both walked three times and scored three runs. Tyra Bridges was 2-for-5 with three RBIs.

Jackson hit an RBI single and the Lady Vikes drew six walks — two of them with the bases loaded — to score six runs in the sixth inning. The rally pulled them to within 16-11, but Neshoba Central added four runs in the top of the seventh to pull away again.

Neshoba Central (14-2, 2-0 MHSAA Region 2-6A), which has won nine state championships in 11 seasons, won its sixth game in a row. It will play Warren Central again on April 11 at Neshoba.

Warren Central (12-4, 1-1) will be off until Tuesday, April 2, when it goes across town to play Vicksburg High.

Warren Central was scheduled to play a doubleheader Thursday against Columbus, but it has been postponed until April 15.

Florence 15, Vicksburg 5
Vicksburg High scored three runs in the top of the first inning, but Florence scored in every inning after that to pull away and beat the Missy Gators (3-11) on Wednesday.

Vicksburg started the game with three consecutive singles, and then Harmony Harris drew a bases-loaded walk to bring in the first run. Jordan Powell hit an RBI single later in the inning, and Makynzie Dunmore drew another bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0.

The Missy Gators did not score again until the fifth inning, however. Florence (13-6) scored three runs in the second and fourth innings and one more in the third to take a 7-3 lead, then tacked on five runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth to end it via the mercy rule.

Raegan King went 3-for-4 with two triples and three RBIs for Florence. Brooke Bridges was 4-for-4 five RBIs and four runs scored, and Helen Roberts hit a two-run home run.

For Vicksburg, Trinity McGloster was 3-for-4 with a double, and scored a run. Harris walked twice, had one RBI and also scored a run, while Camden McGloster hit an RBI double.

The Missy Gators will host Ridgeland on Thursday in an MHSAA Region 2-6A game. The junior varsity will play at 5 p.m. and the varsity at 6:15.