DECATUR — Newton County forces a decisive Game 3.

 

Behind two big innings along with a very potent offensive attack the Cougars got past West Lauderdale 16-11 to even the series in Game 2 of the MHSAA Class 4A Baseball North State Championship series on Thursday night.

 

The decisive Game 3 will be Saturday at 7 p.m. at West Lauderdale. The winner will face Purvis for the Class 4A state championship at Trustmark Park next week.

 

“We’ve have faced so much adversity all season and everyone kept counting us out, but those boys believe in each other, we’ve gotten healthy at the right time, and they just keep fighting,” said Newton County coach Jordan Smith. “West Lauderdale is a great team and it gets feisty with it being a rival. We knew they’d come out firing, and I told the guys don’t look at the scoreboard and don’t you quit until the last out is made.”

 

West Lauderdale jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run single by Kayden Peoples.

 

Newton County tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning on a throw-in error and a sacrifice fly by Brady Bounds.

 

The Knights answered with four runs in the top of the third inning to take a 6-2 lead highlighted by a two-run home run by Hunter Russell and a pair of RBI singles from Landry Maxwell and Carter Horton.

 

The Cougars responded in a big way scoring seven runs in the bottom half to take a 9-6 lead anchored by a two-run single by Grant Keith and an RBI single by Caleb Potter.

 

West Lauderdale tied the game at 9-9 in the fourth on a two-run double by Bradyn Warren and a RBI double by Peoples.

 

Newton County regained the lead at 12-9 in the bottom half on a solo home run by Potter and two runs scored off a throwing error.

 

Hayden Amis sealed the game with a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth to give the Cougars a 16-9 lead.

 

Amis had three hits and five RBI’s to lead Newton County (19-15). Landry Tolbird picks up the win in relief on the mound for the Cougars.

 

“Our mentality the whole playoffs have been just never quit and that’s what we did,” Amis said. “It was a long rough and tight game the other night and being able to come back and win like this is amazing. On the home run the pitcher hung me one and did what I could. The Cougars are hot and a dream of mine is to get to Trustmark Park and I think we can do it.”

 

Potter also had three hits for Newton County, while Keith and Collier Mangum added two hits for the Cougars.

 

“Hayden is a very good player and has been big for us all year and he was big when we needed him. I’m so proud of these guys it seemed every time they answered we seemed to answer right back and now we’re one win away,” Smith said. “We got nothing to lose and that’s a dangerous team to play and that win gives us all the confidence.”

 

Russell and Peoples each had two hits to lead West Lauderdale (27-5). The Knights scratched two runs in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch and a Jacob Wooten scored on a sacrifice fly to make the score 16-11.

 

“They hit the ball really well and we didn’t play well and made too many mistakes,” said West Lauderdale coach Jason Smith. “Our kids fought hard and you prepare all season for a Game 3 at home and now we’re excited to get that opportunity on Saturday.”