MERIDIAN — Jonathan McMillan shut down the Union offense Saturday and sparked the Clarkdale attack in guiding the Bulldogs to an 8-2 win.
McMillan earned the win as the Yellowjackets trailed 5-0 before scoring in the fourth and sixth innings. Clarkdale scored three in the first and sixth innings and added lone tallies in the second and third.
Offensively, McMillan smashed a three-run home run and Dillon Boatner added three hits, including a triple.
Adam Vance took the loss for Union, while Jamie Elliott homered for the Yellowjackets.
Clarkdale faces Laurel at Northeast Jones on Monday, while Union plays in the Lake Tournament.
— Jamie Wachter
NE Lauderdale 5
Enterprise 2
The Trojans struck early on the road Saturday, scoring two runs in the first and three in the second before holding off the Bulldogs.
Enterprise scored runs in the third and sixth innings.
Zack Johnson led Northeast with two hits and an RBI, while Hayden Adkins earned the win. Ismael Reyes picked up the save.
Tyler Powell suffered the loss for Enterprise.
Northeast hosts a tournament, beginning Monday, while Enterprise heads to the Lake Tournament on Monday.
— Jamie Wachter
St. Aloysius 12
West Lauderdale 6
Six errors cost the Knights in the Columbia Tournament on Saturday.
Brett Daugherty suffered the loss, falling to 0-2. He allowed seven runs on five hits, but only three were earned. St. Aloysius ralled from a 6-2 hole in the bottom of the fifth by scoring 10 times in the frame.
The Knights, who had scored four in the top of the fifth to take the lead, were led by Lucas Leeper's three hits and Blake Thomas' two hits, a double and three RBIs.
— Jamie Wachter
Columbia 11
West Lauderdale 10
The Knights' defensive woes continued as they committed three more errors and Columbia scored six in the fifth to rally for the win.
West scored two in the second, three in the third and three in the fourth to grab an 8-4 lead before Columbia rallied. West added two in the seventh but the comeback bid fell short.
Caleb Melton took the loss, pitching two innings in relief. He allowed three runs, one earned, and three hits. Dustin James doubled and had two RBIs for the Knights, who fell to 5-5.
West opens division play Tuesday against visiting South Jones.
— Jamie Wachter
Lamar 2-8
Winston Academy 6-4
The Raiders scored twice in the first inning of Saturday's road opener, but couldn't hold off Winston despite a stellar pitching performance from John Countiss.
Countiss, making his first start of the season, struck out 13 and allowed just four hits. Lamar, though, committed five errors — three coming in Winston's four-run fifth to take the win.
Barrett Dudley doubled in both of Lamar's runs in the first, while John Clinton McElroy and Harrison Thomas each went 2-for-3. Witt Haggard tripled for Lamar.
In the nigthcap, Lamar tightened up defensively with only one error and helped reliever Scott Nabors out of jams in the sixth and seventh innings by turning double plays to stall Winston rallies.
Gane Duggan had two RBIs on two hits and Nabors doubled for the Raiders (5-2).
Lamar plays two games Friday at the Starkville Academy Invitational.
— Jamie Wachter
PREP SOFTBALL
Clarkdale 12
Harrison Central 3
The Bulldogs scored five runs in the third and then added six in the seventh on the road Saturday.
Alex Smith led Clarkdale's 16-hit attack with three hits and four RBIs. Sarah Beckman, Sarah Harris, Shana Elmore and Abby Roberts all had two hits with Beckman and Roberts doubling and Harris and Elmore adding triples.
Erin Adcock earned the win for Clarkdale (4-1), which hosts the Spring Fling starting Thursday at Northeast Park.
— Jamie Wachter
JUCO BASEBALL
East Central 14-12
Hibbing (Minn.) 0-0
Charles Hill led the Warriors in the first of two home routs Saturday with two hits, a double and a grand slam. Richie Long added two hits, also.
Pervis Mann earned the win, while Ernie Triplett grabbed the decision in the nightcap.
In the second game, Long homered and had two hits, while Kevin Harris had four hits, including a double, and Tyler Dalton had a pair of doubles.
The Warriors (16-4) travel to Gulf Coast for a doubleheader Tuesday.
— Jamie Wachter
LATE PREP BASEBALL
NE Lauderdale 5
Quitman 3
The visiting Trojans scored runs in the first three innings before holding off division foe Quitman on Friday.
Northeast scored once in the first before adding two tallies in the second and third frames. Quitman scored one in the third and two in the sixth.
Cameron Burtard earned the win for Northeast as Ismael Reyes homered.
Jace Belcher suffered the loss for the Panthers.
— Jamie Wachter
Richland 17-16
Newton County 4-2
Xavier Franklin went 5 2/3 innings for the Cougars, allowing just five earned runs in the opener. Meanwhile, Hunter Phillips guided the Newton County offense with three hits, including a double, and two RBIs.
In the second game, Nolan Thorne took the loss, falling to 2-1. He allowed four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. Kirby Bishop had a double on three hits for the Cougars (3-4).
— Jamie Wachter
Sports
Roundup - Clarkdale cruises past Union
- Sports
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Neel leaving champion War Eagles for Panthers
Eric Neel spent three seasons coach at East Central. The Hornets played in three state championship games.
Neel then coached the past three years at Wayne County, leading the War Eagles to three straight Class 5A fast-pitch state crowns.
And now, he doesn’t see why the same can’t occur at Quitman. After guiding Wayne County to its third straight championship Saturday, Neel resigned his position in Waynesboro on Thursday to replace Kacie Roberson at Quitman. -
Unexpected Honor
Winning a state championship, that Blake McMullen expected.
To be named the Player of the Year in Class 3A by the Mississippi Association of Coaches, that caught the Southeast Lauderdale senior off guard. -
RCA’s Lee and pair of Generals chosen for All-Star tilt
Russell Christian Academy senior Camryn Lee and Newton County Academy duo Clay Upton and Dillon Williams will wrap up their senior seasons today.
The local trio will play in the MAIS All-Star Class A game at Smith-Wills Stadium in Jackson at 2 p.m. The Class AA-AAA game will follow. -
McFarland named first-team All-American for Jones County
The honors continue to come in for the Jones County Junior College softball program.
Pitcher Ginger Lonergan and centerfielder Relanda McFarland were both named to the NJCAA Division II All-American first-team on Thursday. -
A Family Affair
Five days. Two state titles. One family.
It’d be hard to find a family that had a better week than the one Robbi and Shay Cooper just experienced. -
Roundup — Stephens receives Sekul Award
Adding to his impressive collection of coaching hardware, East Mississippi Community College head football coach Buddy Stephens was presented with the 2011 George Sekul Award during the All-American Football Foundation’s Banquet of Champions held earlier this month at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
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The Drought Is Over
All Mason Irby was hoping for was to find a way on base.
The Southeast Lauderdale sophomore did that and so much more. Irby's single with two outs in the seventh inning broke a tie, lifting the Tigers to a 6-3 MHSAA Class 3A state championship win at Smith-Wills Stadium on Wednesday, and handing Southeast (32-7) its first title since 1966. -
Ramey shines again, hurls Tigers to MHSAA Class 3A crown
The bar was set pretty high.
After all, Southeast Lauderdale senior right-hander Colby Ramey needed just 65 pitches to beat Kossuth in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 3A state championship game Thursday.
However, according to fellow senior Blake McMullen, Ramey cleared the hurdle Wednesday when he scattered eight hits on 104 pitches to finish off the Aggies in a 6-3 state championship-clinching win at Smith-Wills Stadium on Wednesday. -
Southeast wins MHSAA Class 3A Championsip
Slideshow from the MHSAA Class 3A state championship game between Southeast Lauderdale and Kossuth.
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Briarwood to host Emerald Coast Golf Tour in June
Professional golf is coming to Meridian.
The Emerald Coast Golf Tour will be holding the Meridian Pro-Am Classic at Briarwood Country Club June 26-29. - More Sports Headlines
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Neel leaving champion War Eagles for Panthers

