MERIDIAN —     Clarkdale overpowered all three opponents Saturday at New Albany’s slow-pitch softball tournament. The Bulldogs beat Grenada 8-4, Itawamba AHS 15-4 and host New Albany 9-1 to improve to 9-0 on the season.

    Clarkdale visits Union on Monday in a makeup game from an earlier rainout.



Clarkdale    8

Grenada    4

    In the Bulldogs’ opener, Clarkdale trailed 4-1 heading into the fourth where it broke loose for seven runs. Sarah Harris provided the biggest hit with a bases-clearing double as the Bulldogs were trailing. Amber Spann added a double, home run and two RBIs. Logan Bozeman had two hits for Clarkdale. The Bulldogs had 10 hits in the win.

    Alex Smith earned the win for the Bulldogs, improving to 3-0.

— Jamie Wachter



Clarkdale    15

Itawamba AHS    4

    The Bulldogs’ offense continued to roll in the second game Saturday, scoring seven runs in the first and six in the second.

    Lauren Thrash led Clarkdale’s offense with three hits, including a double, and four RBIs. Shana Elmore added two hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Harris, Smith and Bozeman all had two hits and Lindsey Beard tripled as Clarkdale had 19 hits in the five-inning game.

    Molly McLeod earned the win for the Bulldogs.

— Jamie Wachter



Clarkdale    9

New Albany    1

    Tied 1-1 through three innings, Clarkdale took the lead with two runs in the fourth before adding five in the fifth to pull away.

    Spann led the Bulldogs offensively, going 4-for-4 with a double. Harris and Beard each had two hits, including triples, while Abby Roberts also had two hits and Smith had three hits. Clarkdale banged out 15 hits in the game thanks to the late offensive surge.

    McLeod again earned the win, allowing just six hits, to improve to 6-0.

— Jamie Wachter



Newton County    12

SE Lauderdale    7

    In the third — and, ultimately, final game — of Enterprise’s tournament Saturday, the Cougars held off a late Tiger rally.

    The Cougars and Poplarville were in the fifth inning of the following game when rain forced the cancellation of the rest of the day’s action, which included Northeast Lauderdale-Neshoba Central, Northeast-Poplarville and Neshoba-Poplarville. Earlier games were Union-Enterprise and Union-Southeast, although scores were not available.

    Newton County led 11-2 through five innings, scoring three in the first and third innings, two in the second and fourth and one in the fifth. However, Southeast plated three in the sixth and two in the seventh to get close.

    Brianna Roulier led Southeast with three hits, three runs and an RBI. She also tripled. Nancy Williams had two hits and two runs and Miranda Chatham had two hits and two RBIs.

    The Cougars (8-2), meanwhile, were led by Shelby Bishop’s three hits, one run and one RBI. Katie Brackeen, Jesse Parker, Samantha Gunn, Savannah Gates and Ashton Lampton all had two hits, with Brackeen and Parker each having doubles, two runs and RBIs. Gates scored a run and had an RBI, while Gunn had two RBIs and Lampton tripled, scored and drove in two.

    Also chipping in the 19-hit attack for Newton County were Emily Davis (one hit and an RBI), Darby Bishop (two runs on one hit), Meagan Higginbotham (a run and two RBIs on one hit), Shea Alexander (a run on a hit) and Lateisa Davis, who had a hit.

    Higginbotham earned the win, improving her mark to 5-2. Taylor Powell took the loss.

    Newton County travels to Neshoba Central on Monday, while Southeast hosts Lake on Monday.

— Jamie Wachter

JUCO SOCCER

MCC soccer completes opening road trip

    JACKSONVILLE, Texas — After competing their pre-season schedule, the Meridian Community College soccer teams kicked off their 2010 regular season with a road trip to Texas to face a pair of Lone Star teams in Hill College and Lon Morris College.

    On Friday, the MCC women tied Hill (Texas) College 1-1. MCC sophomore Kelsey Edwards scored the lone goal for the Eagles.

    In the nightcap on Friday, the Eagles also tied Hill College 2-2 in the men's game. Sophomore Leon Powell and freshman Jake Watkins each scored for MCC.

    Both games on Friday featured two 10-minute overtime periods.

    On Saturday afternoon, the MCC women defeated Lon Morris (Texas) College 3-2 for their first win of the season.

    Sophomore Anastasia Vogel scored two goals for MCC while freshman Chassity Robertson added a goal.

    MCC's men won 1-0 against Lon Morris as Powell scored the lone goal for the Eagles.

    Both the men and women are now 1-0-1 on the season and face in-state rival Jones County next Saturday at C.D. Smith Field.

— from school reports



East Central splits with Copiah-Lincoln

    The East Central soccer teams opened their season at home against Copiah-Lincoln on Friday. The ECCC women lost 3-2, while the Warriors grabbed a 3-0 win in the men's game.

— Jamie Wachter



LOCAL GOLF

Massey aces No. 13 at BCC

    Hookey Massey recently recorded a hole-in-one on the 13th hole at Briarwood Country Club.

    Massey's ace was witnessed by O'Neal White, Gene Tomkins, Buddy Booker and David Forlaw.

— submitted reports