Newton County softball coach Justin Chaney said his Lady Cougars struggled with the changeup on Tuesday night.
The Lady Cougars adjusted to it on Thursday night.
Led by a 3-for-3 performance by Lizzy Hollingsworth, Newton County banged out 10 hits and took a 7-5 win over the Lady Hornets on Thursday night to sweep the second round Class 4A playoff series.
Newton County improved to 22-7-1 on the year and will advance to the third round of the Class 4A playoffs to take on the winner of the Purvis and East Central series.
“I thought we adjusted to the change-up a lot better tonight,” Chaney said. “The other night, their pitcher had us off balance. We didn’t do a very good job down there against the changeup. But we did a lot better job with it tonight.”
Poplarville scratched in the first inning as leadoff batter Kayleigh Netto walked and scored on an RBI single by Rakeya Travis to go up 1-0.
Newton County didn’t take the lead until the bottom of the second as Landree Amis reached on an infield hit and Lorren Ivey reached on an error. That’s when Hollingsworth laced a pitch to right centerfield that rolled to the fence for a triple to score Amis and Ivey. The Lady Hornets had trouble with the throw in and Hollingsworth came in to score and give Newton County a 3-1 lead.
“We had some big two-out hits and hits with runners in scoring position,” Chaney said. “We preach that. That’s what is going to win ball games. Everybody in the South is going to be good. Poplarville is a good team and well coached. They do the fundamental things so it was a good team win for us tonight.”
Newton County added two more runs in the third inning as Shelby Anderson and Landree Amis each had RBI singles to give the Lady Cougars a 5-1 lead. Hollingsworth added another run in the fourth when she singled and came home when Jessi Thaggard reached on an error for a 6-2 Newton County lead.
Poplarville scored three runs in the top of the sixth to pull within 6-5.
Newton County added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Hollingsworth singled to lead off the inning and eventually came home on an RBI single by Jada McDougle for the final run.
“She had a phenomenal night,” Chaney said. “I was proud of her. I thought the biggest hit of the night was in the sixth after they had scored three runs. She got on and gave us a chance to score and get a run in. She also had the big knock in the second inning where we scored three. She had a heck of a day. I am proud of that kid, she deserves that. Hard work pays off.”
Anderson was also 2-for-4 with an RBI while Amis was 2-for-3.
Brittany Thomas picked up the win as she pitched all seven innings and gave up five runs on four hits and three walks while striking out three.
County 6, Poplarville 3
The Lady Cougars overcame a three-run deficit behind a solid pitching effort from Shelby Anderson to take Game 1 of the series on Tuesday.
Poplarville scored all three of its runs in the first inning. The Lady Cougars responded with one in the second, two in the third and fifth and one in the sixth.
Newton County had 10 hits in the contest, led by Brittany Thomas who was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Katelyn Gipson and Anderson were each 2-for-4 with Thomas scoring two runs. Landree Amis had a triple and drove in three runs. Lorren Ivey and Lizzy Hollingsworth each singled and scored a run. Jada McDougle also had an RBI and a stolen base while Alex Weir was credited with two steals.
Anderson was solid on the mound as she gave up three runs on two hits and a walk while striking out eight.
