DECATUR — The East Central Community College softball team swept Northwest Mississippi Community College in an MACJC best-of-three playoff series Friday and Saturday to advance to next weekend’s state tournament.

The Lady Diamond Warriors took Game 1, 13-5, on Friday after putting up seven runs in the third inning. East Central then won a back-and-forth Game 2 battle on Saturday 17-12.

In Game 1, ECCC jumped out to the early lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer off the bat of Neshoba Central alum Kayla Beckham, a three-run home run by Katherine Shell of Brookhaven High School and a sacrifice fly and groundout by Madalyn McMahon also of Neshoba Central. 

East Central added two more runs in the fourth on a Northwest error and a single by Mackenzie Johnson of Nanih Waiya High School.

Northwest closed their deficit to 9-5 in the top of the fifth on a single and a home run.

The Lady Warriors responded with four runs in the fifth on a sacrifice, a single by Shell, a hit by pitch and a pop up to clinch the run-rule five inning affair. 

ECCC collected 15 hits in the victory. McMahon and Johnson had three hits each.  Beckham, Shell and Brittney McCray of Sumrall High School each had two hits. 

Heritage Academy’s Kaitlyn Oswalt picked up the Game 1 win, striking out four while in the circle over seven innings.

In Game 2 Saturday, ECCC played as the visiting team in the back and forth game with the lead changing four times.

The game was tied at nine with the Lady Warriors batting in the top of the fifth when McCray tripled, driving in two runs to take the lead they would never surrender.

The Lady Warriors jumped out early on a single by Cassie Obman of Caledonia High School to drive in one run in the first inning. 

ECCC then added to their lead with three more runs in the second on a home run by McMahon. 

Northwest took the 6-4 lead in the third putting up six runs. East Central then regained the lead in the top of the fourth, 7-6, on a single by McMahon and a fly out by Obman. 

The Rangers responded with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth on a home run to lead 9-7. 

ECCC scored six in the top of the fifth on a double by McMahon, a triple by McCray and a two-run homer by Obman and four more runs in the sixth on a double by Shelby Walters of Brandon High School, a double by Obman and a walk.  

East Central was led offensively by McMahon, who went 4-for-5 at the plate after singling in the first, homering in the second, singling in the fourth and doubling in the fifth. McCray and Obman added three hits each.  

Mackenzie Rousseau, a product of Vandebilt Catholic High School, picked up the win in the circle. 

The Lady Diamond Warriors are now 42-6 on the season, while Northwest ends its season 22-20.

East Central will now play in the four-team MACJC State Tournament May 5-7 at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville.

Brackets and times for the State Tournament will be announced at a later date.