Wesley nearly flawless as Neshoba beats Union 12-0
Aspen Wesley added yet another no-hitter to her resume as Neshoba Central shut out Union 12-0 in five innings Friday evening.
The Mississippi State signee struck out 13 and needed just 64 pitches to earn the win.
Neshoba Central improved to 23-0 on the year while recording its 62nd consecutive win.
“It’s something we don’t talk about — I’ll be honest with you,” Neshoba Central coach Trae Embry said of the win streak. “They know that last year is last year, and this year is this year, and we pretty much go one game at a time and try to focus on what’s ahead of us.”
Four Neshoba Central batters tallied multi-hit efforts.
Wesley, Tori Henderson, Rivers Gray and Elleigh Willis each finished with two hits. Henderson knocked two doubles, while Wesley and Willis recorded one apiece. The Lady Rockets combined for 11 hits.
Both Wesley and Henderson paced Neshoba Central with three RBIs.
The Lady Rockets were just as dominant on the base paths, as they stole 12 bases. Tenly Grisham was responsible for four, while Gray and Willis each contributed two.
Neshoba Central led 1-0 at the end of the first inning before erupting for a five-run third. It added six more runs in the fourth.
“We got some timely hits there in those two innings where we were able to just roll the order,” Embry said. “It wasn’t just one person who got the hits. You can go down through (the order) and see that there were several kids who put up multiple hits. It was just a total team effort tonight. Aspen on the mound was great as always.”
Neshoba Central faces Holmes Central in a Region 3-5A doubleheader Monday before concluding the regular season Tuesday at home against Philadelphia.
“The games Monday are our last two division games, so we have to try to make sure we finish out those games strong,” Embry said. “Philadelphia is always a test for us and has Nia (Luckett) on the mound, who is one of the best pitchers in the state.”
Neshoba Central has already wrapped up the Region 3-5A title and will look to sustain its regular-season momentum in the playoffs as it attempts to win its seventh-consecutive state title.
“As you go into the next season (playoffs), everybody is 0-0,” Embry said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re 35-0 or if you’re 2-35. You have to play, and everybody is going to give you their best shot. We try to go one game at a time and one series at a time. We try not to look ahead because you have to win what’s in front of you.”