By Myra Bean
Anyone who has followed South Panola and Desoto Central fastpitch softball knew the final play would probably determine the winner.
In back-to-back errors in the bottom of the seventh inning, Desoto Central took advantage and won 3-2 on a walk-off run.
Desoto Central seventh grade pitcher, Hailey Alberson, retired the bottom of the batting order for South Panola on a strikeout in top of the seventh inning.
However, the Lady Jaguars’ top of the lineup was up to bat in bottom of the seventh.
South Panola dropped a foul ball which would have been a second out and overthrew first baseman Alli Cummins for the third out which allowed the runner on third to score the winning run. That runner had walked to get on base and advanced on a single to right center by her teammate.
Desoto Central drew blood first in this epic battle between the teams. In bottom of the third, a Desoto batter was hit by a pitched and worked her way to third on a sacrifice bunt. She scored on a passed ball for an unearned run.
The Lady Tigers answered in top of the fourth with two runs. With the top of the lineup on the cards, sophomore center fielder Chloe Morgan was the first batter up. She took a ball to the elbow to get on base. She stole second and got to third on a successful bunt by senior shortstop Mallory Meyers, who beat the throw to first.
Morgan scored on a passed ball which allowed Meyers to go to second base.
Senior second baseman Haley Reid grounded out to second which drove home Meyers for the 2-1 lead.
That was all the scoring South Panola could muster. However, they loaded the bases two times in top of the fifth, but could not get any of the runners home.
Desoto Central tied the game at 2-2 in bottom of the fifth. On a single RBI, Lady Jaguar Carlie Klepzig drove home Maddie Polittle who had singled to get on base.
Caroline Dickins pitched the complete game for the Lady Tigers in seven innings. She fanned nine of 32 batters faced, giving up one earned run. She allowed no walks but hit two players by pitch.
Meyers and Parker led at the plate going 1-for-3 each. Meyers scored one run. Reid had the only RBI.
Desoto Central JV 5,  SP 4
It was another close battle in the jr. varsity game following the varsity.
South Panola was up to bat first and scored three runs.
Haven Dulin scored on a triple RBI by Darbi Smith, who slammed the ball to right field.
Dulin also singled to right to get on base.
Aubrianna Craven followed with  hit to the center field fence. It looked like it might go over but the wind pushed it down just inside the fence driving Smith home. Craven got ot third base on a passed ball.
Kahlena Hentz’s single drove Craven home.
In bottom of the second inning, which is all they played, South Panola tried to answer Desoto Central’s five runs in bottom of the first.
The first two batters struck out, but Janarria Sanford slammed a ball past the short stop. In a comedy of errors series, Desoto Central kept throwing the ball past the bases and Sanford scored the fourth run. However, the Lady Tiger was thrown out for the third out before a run could score.
The Lady Tigers enjoyed the Easter weekend off. Today, they travel to Southaven (7-3 overall, 1-0 district) for another non-conference matchup with an old foe at 5:30 and 7 p.m.