After taking the first pitch of her second inning at-bat for a ball, Newton County’s Jada McDougle dug in for the second pitch. As the softball dropped to the plate, she unloaded.

Her swing resulted in the softball screeching through the outfield before flying between the American and Mississippi flags as it exited the ballpark. 

McDougle’s three-run home run scored Jessi Thaggard and Lanie Phillips and gave Newton County a 3-1 lead that inspired the Lady Cougars’ offense for the duration of the night. 

Newton County (2-1) defeated Clarkdale (1-3) 11-3 Tuesday night in slow-pitch softball action at Clarkdale. The Lady Cougars accumulated 20 hits as they recorded their second win of the season.

“We were talking before the game, and we said we had to be fired up this game to get a win, because Clarkdale is pretty good and they can beat us,” McDougle, a sophomore, said. “We just tried to go for hits every time.”

McDougle led Newton County with three hits and three RBIs, and Katelyn Gipson and Karlye Tolbird added two RBIs apiece. Gipson also swatted a solo home run in the top of the fourth and added two hits and two runs.

“I think that when one person hits, hitting is contagious, and it goes throughout the whole team,” Gipson, a sophomore, said. “Once one person hits, it keeps going and it bumps up the team’s enthusiasm.” 

Newton County’s batters channeled McDougle’s energy in the third inning, as the team exploded for five additional runs in the top of the third to lead 8-1. Landree Amis, Tolbird (2), Lorren Ivey and Phillips tallied RBIs.

“In slow-pitch (hitting) is contagious, and we’re getting there,” Newton County coach Justin Chaney said. “Clarkdale is really well-coached. I loved our effort. I think sometimes we do un-smart things, but as long as they’re playing hard, I can live with it. As long as they’re playing hard, that’s all I ask. We put some good hits together, and had a bunch of two-out hits, so that’s good.”

The Lady Cougars added two runs in the top of the sixth when Gipson knocked in McDougle, and Hollingsworth doubled in Brittany Thomas.

Clarkdale’s Nikki Boutwell hit a sacrifice RBI in the bottom of the first to plate Reann Chatham and give Clarkdale a 1-0 lead. The Lady Bulldogs also scored in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of an RBI by Chatham, and they added their third run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth on sacrifice fly from Anna Russell to score Boutwell. 

Chatham and Alexis Hart paced Clarkdale with two hits apiece, and the Lady Bulldogs combined for 11 hits. 

“We’re going to play the best (teams) around at the beginning of the season. Newton County, they’ve proved themselves time and time again, but that’s who we want to play, because if we want to get better, we’re going to have to play those that are better,” Clarkdale coach Emily Howard said. “I told them we’re going to have to execute the little things, because that’s what makes all the difference in the world.”

Newton County hosts Neshoba Central at 7 p.m. Thursday, while Clarkdale hosts Meridian at 7 p.m. Thursday.