PHILADELPHIA — When Kayla Robertson stepped in the batter’s box Saturday afternoon, the senior had no idea it would be her last career at-bat at Lady Rocket Field. 

With a 1-2 count in the bottom of the third inning, Robertson sent the final at-home hit of her career soaring over the left-field wall, and the no-doubt home run scored two Lady Rockets to give Neshoba Central High School a 9-0 advantage over Lewisburg High School.

Neshoba Central defeated Lewisburg 11-0 in five innings, due to the MHSAA run rule, sweeping the Lady Patriots 2-0 and clinching yet another North State championship.

“That was my last at-bat here,” Robertson recalled. “Exhilaration would be the perfect word — just overjoyed. I’ve been struggling, so I just stopped worrying about failing and went up there and had no worries.”

Robertson finished the afternoon 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs and three runs. 

After a 370-mile round-trip journey for Game 1, Neshoba Central head coach Trae Embry said his team returned to Philadelphia around midnight, giving the Lady Rockets just over 13 hours before Game 2.  

“This group also did that Tuesday night when we went to Lake Cormorant High School — there’s only a 10-minute difference,” Embry said. “That tells you a little bit about them. The traveling affects you, but you have to dig down deep and find something within you and play.”

If fatigue was an issue, it certainly wasn’t much of an impediment, as eight Lady Rockets netted hits in Saturday’s contest. Neshoba Central as a team tagged Lewisburg pitchers for 13 hits. Madalyn McMahon and Aspen Wesley joined Robertson in the multi-hit club as McMahon logged three in her three at-bats — including a triple — while Wesley chipped in with two.

The Lady Rockets were aggressive on the basepaths as well, swiping four bags in the contest. Alyssa Wilkinson finished with two of those stolen bases. 

On the mound, Wesley turned in her usual dominant performance, allowing just one hit throughout the course of the afternoon. She struck out six, and only walked two. 

“When I’m up there, I already know that my defense is going to back me up,” Wesley said. “I just try to hit my spots as much as I can while I’m up there pitching. I just wanted to get the win.”

In the series, Neshoba Central outscored Lewisburg 17-1. Embry said he will look to keep the momentum rolling. 

“The intensity is something we have to try to preach,” he said. “You can become really relaxed. We found the intensity yesterday, and in the big games, they know when they are and they know when they really need to turn it up a notch. Today, the bats were alive. We hit the ball well today.”

The Lady Rockets will advance to the MHSAA state tournament in Ridgeland next week, facing West Harrison High School in a rematch of last year’s 5A title series.