A two-run home run by Clarkdale senior Nikki Boutwell helped pace the Lady Bulldogs as they defeated Northeast Lauderdale 7-2 Saturday morning in the Meridian High School slow-pitch softball tournament. 

Clarkdale led 3-1 going into the bottom of the third before Boutwell connected on her two-run blast to push her team further ahead. The Lady Bulldogs would go on to score two more runs while limiting the Lady Trojans to just one the rest of the game.

“I think that was her first one, so she’s super-excited,” Clarkdale head coach Emily Howard said. “She’s been working really hard, so I’m excited for her. It’s her senior year, so that was big for her.”

Boutwell confirmed it was her first home run of the season and said she simply put a good swing on a pitch that was ripe to be hit.

“It was the perfect pitch coming in,” Boutwell said. “It’s exciting.”

Clarkdale set the tone early by jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. An RBI double by Reann Chatham plated Makayla Roberts, and a sacrifice fly by Ashley McLeod sent home Alexis Hart. Boutwell had an RBI single that scored another run.

Northeast Lauderdale responded in the top of the second by cutting Clarkdale’s lead to 3-1 on an RBI single by Emilee Byers that scored Carrie Grace Baty.

After Boutwell’s two-run shot in the third inning, the Lady Trojans scored again on a run-scoring single by Jimmyia Smith that sent home Baty.

The Lady Bulldogs plated one run each on the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to round out their scoring. Boutwell came home on an RBI fielder’s choice by Anna Russell in the fifth, and Roberts scored on an error in the bottom of the sixth.

Clarkdale finished with 14 hits, and Boutwell went 3-for-4. Hart was a perfect 4-for-4, and Karis Mason finished 2-for-3. Howard said she was pleased with her team’s offense and ability to get hits in key sports.

“Much better,” Howard said. “They did a great job of getting the ball down and finding the holes and making the adjustments at the plate that they needed to.”

The Lady Trojans, by contrast, managed just two runs on nine hits. Jaley Culpepper and Lexi Hearn were both 2-for-3 for Northeast Lauderdale, and Molly Moore had a double.

“Our approach at the plate,” Lady Trojans coach Tyler Vick identified as the problem with runners on base. “We didn’t do what we were supposed to do. We didn’t hit balls the other way. We didn’t hit behind runners.”

Howard, meanwhile, said Chatham, Clarkdale’s starting pitcher who threw all seven innings, and her defense did a good job preventing runs when hits were allowed.

“We struggled the other night (against Bay Springs),” Howard said. “They worked really hard (Friday) at practice, and they put that work in, and it showed out there on defense today. They did a great job. Reann had great arch and the defense did well.”

Northeast Lauderdale will play at Forest Tuesday, while Clarkdale will play at Pelahatchie Monday.

NEWTON COUNTY 17, MERIDIAN 4

Jada McDougle tallied seven RBIs for the Lady Cougars as Newton County got a run-rule shortened win against host Meridian.

McDougle finished 3-for-4 and had two home runs for Newton County, while Katelyn Gibson was also 3-for-4 with five RBIs on three home runs. Brittany Thomas also had a solo home run and finished 2-for-4, while Lanie Phillips went 2-for-3.

Earlier in the tournament, Newton County was able to come away with an 8-4 victory against West Lauderdale, and Lady Cougars coach Justin Chaney said he was very pleased with his girls’ performance in the tournament, hoping it would give them good momentum for the rest of the regional portion of his schedule.

“told them a while ago, if we will continue to do the little bitty things like we’re doing, we’re capable of being a really good team,” Chaney said. “We just have to keep executing. For a Saturday, for what we did, I’m very pleased so far.”

Katelyn Gibson threw all five innings for Newton County to get the win, surrendering just four runs on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

For Meridian, Zy Horn was a perfect 2-for-2, and Taylor Carter had a two-run home run. Jaliah Davis also had a home run for the Lady Wildcats.

Meridian head coach Mark Davis said he was pleased with the turnout at the tournament and the overall quality of teams that showed up.

“It’s really big for us, because it’s our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Davis said. “This year, we had 11 teams come, (including) some really good softball teams when you adds Newton County, Enterprise, Neshoba Central and West Lauderdale.”

Meridian (3-5, 0-1) will play at Quitman Monday, while Newton County (8-2, 2-0) will travel to Union Monday.