NEWTON COUNTY 7-17, POPLARVILLE 3-7
The Poplarville football team ended Newton County’s season in the Class 4A playoffs.
The Newton County baseball team returned the favor. Newton County swept two games from Poplarville, winning 7-3 on Tuesday and 1-7 on Friday.
Newton County improves to 18-12 on the season and advances to Class 4A second-round playoff action. The Cougars will host Pass Christian on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and will hit the road on Friday for a 6 p.m. contest on the Coast. An if-necessary game 3 would be Saturday at 6 p.m. in Decatur.
County 7, Poplarville 3
The Cougars built an early lead and overcame six errors to take a four-run win over the Hornets on Tuesday.
County scored one in the second, three in the third and two in the fourth and led 6-0. Poplarville scored three in the fifth to cut the lead in half at 6-3 before County added one run in the sixth.
County outhit Poplarville 7-5 in the contest. Vance Richardson had a big game, going 3-for-3 with a run scored while Ethan Burton was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Cooper Lewis also doubled while Cade Mangum doubled. Richardson and Mangum each had three stolen bases.
Burton started on the mound and pitched five innings, giving up three runs on four hits while striking out five. Dalton Graham pitched the last two innings and gave up one hit while striking out three.
County 17, Poplarville 7
The Cougars scored 10 runs in the first two innings and took a run-rule win over the Hornets on Friday to sweep the first-round series.
County scored six runs in the top of the first while Poplarville scored two I the bottom of the first. County added four runs in the second and one in the third and led 11-2. Each team scored three in the fifth while County added three more in the sixth and Poplarville scored two in the sixth.
County had 16 hits in the contest as Cade Mangum was 3-for-4 with a double, home run, four runs scored and four RBIs. Dalton Graham was 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs scored and four RBIs. Hayden Amis and Cooper Johnson were each 2-for-3 while Daulton Barrett doubled and scored twice. Cooper Lewis singled and scored three runs while Vance Richardson doubled and scored twice. Trent Renfrow also singled and drove in two runs.
Renfrow started on the mound and pitched four innings, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks. Dominic Bell pitched and gave up three runs on three hits and a walk while Graham pitched the last inning and gave up two unearned runs.
