Newton County’s Lizzy Hollingsworth reaches second base safely against Neshoba Central’s Reese Page Wednesday.

PHILADELPHIA — In a series that felt more appropriate for a state championship round rather than a semifinal round, Neshoba Central beat Newton County 15-7 in Game 3 Wednesday night to earn a berth in the MHSAA Class II slow-pitch state title series Saturday.

The Lady Rockets won Game 1 of the Class II North State championship series 13-8, but the Lady Cougars bounced back with a 10-6 win in Game 2 to force the rubber match.

Elleigh Willis got the win for Neshoba Central in Game 3, pitching seven innings and giving up seven runs, five earned, on eight hits and six walks. She also struck out two.

The Lady Rockets were ahead 9-1 after four innings, and Newton County didn’t have a multi-run frame until the top of the fifth when it scored three runs to cut Neshoba Central’s lead to 9-4. The Lady Cougars tacked on three more runs in the top of the sixth, but the Lady Rockets exploded for six runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 15-7.

Jayda Ben and Reese Page both finished 2-for-4 for Neshoba Central, and Page also had a double. Layana Morris doubled, and Mya Willis and Hamaya Fielder hit home runs — and Fielder’s was a grand slam in the bottom of the second that made it 8-1 Neshoba Central at the time.

Jada McDougle finished 2-for-2 with a home run for Newton County in Game 3, and Lizzy Hollingsworth and Haley McDowell were both 2-for-4.

In Game 1, Newton County took an early 3-1 lead, but an eight-run bottom of the third allowed Neshoba Central to come storming back, and the Lady Rockets kept tacking on runs to take the 13-8 victory.

Tenley Grisham finished 2-for-2 with a home run for Neshoba Central, and Mya Willis was 3-for-5 with a triple and a home run. Elleigh Willis finished 2-for-5, and Page and Shante Beaulieu were both 2-for-4. Jayda Ben had a double as well.

For Newton County, Hollingsworth was 3-for-4 with a double and a grand slam, which came in the the top of the fourth inning after Neshoba Central walked McDougle with the bases loaded to send Hollingsworth to the plate. Her grand slam cut the Lady Rockets’ lead to 9-8, but Newton County was unable to score after that.

Casey Dube was Newton County’s only other multiple hitter in Game 1, as she finished 2-for-4. 

In the second game, the Lady Cougars jumped ahead 6-0 after two and limited Neshoba Central to just one big inning, a four-run top of the fourth, in a 10-6 Newton County win. McDougle and Hollingsworth both finished 2-for-4, and McDougle had a home run as well. Lanie Phillips went 3-for-4, and Dube finished 2-for-3. Maeli Ben and Haley McDowell both doubled for the Lady Cougars.

For Neshoba Central, Grisham was 3-for-4 with a home run in Game 2, and Jayda Ben was 2-for-3 with two doubles. Elleigh Willis went 2-for-4 with a double.

The Lady Rockets (31-4) will play the winner of the Wayne County-North Pike series — which takes place Thursday — at 11 a.m. Saturday at Liberty Park in Madison. 

Newton County finished the season with a 32-4 record.