HATTIESBURG — Following Thursday’s thrilling win, the North Pike Jaguars were anxious to finish off Kosciusko Friday and claim their first MHSAA Class 4A State Softball Title in four years.
But the Whippets would not let that happen.
They came back from a 2-0 deficit to take advantage of errors and a struggling offense and grab the lead. The Whippets never let go of it and handed the Jaguars a 13-7 loss in Game 2 at the University of Southern Mississippi Softball Complex.
“When you make errors, they are going to capitalize on it,” North Pike senior Meredith Bates said. “At this point, you can’t make errors. Errors are crucial. If you can eliminate errors, you can win the ballgame.”
The Jaguars put up the first runs of the game in the first inning. With Emilie Williams on base, Bates hit a home run over the left field wall, firing up the Jaguars and giving them a 2-0 advantage.
Bates, who got the start on the mound for North Pike (24-11), kept that momentum on the home side in the first inning, retiring Kosciusko (26-10) in order.
She kept the Whippets mostly at bay through the first three innings of play but ran into some trouble in the fourth.
Kosciusko cut North Pike’s lead in half in the fourth on a fielder’s choice.
In the fifth, however, the Whippets carried that momentum over and put together a rally to take the lead.
After a throwing error plated a run that tied the game, a two-run home run to left by Mary Kimble Price put the Jaguars in a 4-2 hole. Kosciusko added one more run in the inning on a bases-loaded walk.
North Pike could not respond in its half of the inning, as their batters were retired in order.
Kosciusko got into rhythm once again, getting a leadoff triple from Kelly Hood before Campbell Blain followed suit with one of her own to score Hood and make it a 6-2 ballgame.
An error proved costly for North Pike as it resulted in another run for the visitors. After a single, a fielder’s choice allowed another Whippet runner to touch home, increasing the deficit for the Jaguars to 8-2.
The resilient Jaguars continued to show fight and scratched out a score courtesy of a Joli Spears double to left, bringing Alaia Crossley home.
Eighth-grader Ann Elise Duncan got the chance to pitch in the seventh, but Kosciusko continued to flex its muscle offensively.
Following a bases-loaded walk to plate the ninth Whippet run, KC Schuler sent a ball over the left field wall for a grand slam, putting North Pike down 13-3.
Facing two outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Jaguars kept things interesting with a rally.
Crossley and Paden singled before Sydney Williams doubled to left, scoring Crossley and keeping the game going.
Next up was Spears, who hit a home run of her own — a three-run shot just inside the left field foul pole, inching North Pike closer by making it a 13-7 contest.
“I knew stepping in the box that she has been throwing me inside all day,” Spears said. “She wasn’t changing anything, so I knew that the first pitch, I had to jump on it. There was nothing to lose at that point, down with two outs, so I had to step in there and do my best.”
Despite the fight, the Jaguars could not complete the comeback.
Spears led the Jaguars offensively by going 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
The deciding Game 3 began at 11 a.m. Saturday.
