Neshoba cruises for 3rd straight title

Published 5:00 am Sunday, October 26, 2014

RIDGELAND — The closest it ever came was a 3-3 tie after the top of the third inning in Game 2.

Then Neshoba Central High School added two more runs in the bottom half of the frame and never looked back.

After blanking West Harrison High School, 10-0, in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 5/6A state title series, the Neshoba players never got nervous when West Harrison tied it up in the third. They simply let their bats go to work, tallying two runs in the bottom of the third, six in the fourth and two in the fifth to run-rule West Harrison and claim their third straight slow-pitch state title.

Neshoba head coach Trae Embry said he was proud of his players for remaining consistent in their work ethic throughout Embry’s time as a coach at Neshoba.

“When I took the job, we only had two seniors,” Embry recalled. “We were able to come down that year with three to four ninth-graders starting and a lot of sophomores who are now seniors. They really learned how to win and bought into what we were trying to do. They understand the game, love the game and don’t mind hard work.”

Senior Hailey Lunderman, who finished 3-for-3 with a double in Game 1 and 3-for-4 with two doubles in Game 2, said winning has become routine, but the coaching staff never lets up in practice, which pushes them to avoid complacency.

“You kind of get used to it, but it’s fun to win,” Lunderman said. “(Embry) pushes us in practice, and we bring it onto the field during the game.”

Fellow senior Kaila Willis said she’ll look back with fond memories on being able to win state three times.

“It’s pretty special,” Willis said. “It’s something most people don’t get to do. We just put in a lot of hard work and dedication and have a coach that pushes us every practice.”

In Game 1, Neshoba took an early 3-0 lead after three innings and made it 8-0 in the top of the fourth. Madalyn McMahon scored on a double by Taylor Harrison, and a single by Lunderman sent home two. Ali Pike had an RBI single, and a double by Kayla McKinion scored Pike.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Rockets scored two more runs to trigger the 10-runs-after-five mercy rule. Pike and McKinion both had RBI singles in the sixth.

Kayla Robertson finished Game 1 3-for-4, and Pike was 4-for-4. Meshay Jimmie went 2-for-3 with a triple.

In Game 2, the Lady Rockets again took an early 3-0 lead. Lunderman scored on a sacrifice fly and Jimmie had an RBI fielder’s choice in the first inning to make it 2-0, and a double by Lunderman in the second scored McMahon.

West Harrison scored its only runs of the series in the third when Emily Cuevas crossed home on a Kristen Sexton double, and Sexton scored on a doubly by Megan Sexton. Megan Sexton then came around to score on a double by Rebecca Cuevas.

But Neshoba made it 5-3 in the bottom of the third with an RBI triple by Jimmie and Jimmie coming home on a fielding error.

“They’re winners,” Embry said of his girls. “In the second game, the score was 3-3, and immediately we came in and answered. That tells you what type of team they are. They could have immediately laid down, but the pressure just doesn’t bother them at all.”

In the bottom of the fourth, RBI singles by Pike, Jimmie and Meg Martin, an RBI double by McMahon and another run scoring on a fielder’s choice, made the score 11-3. The Lady Rockets triggered the run-rule for the second time when Pike hit a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth.

In Game 2, Pike and McKinion were both 2-for-4, and Harrison went 2-for-3 with a double.

The Lady Rockets finished the season 35-1.