North Pike’s softball team is the South State Champion after sweeping Newton County 2-0 in a best-of-three series this weekend.
The Lady Jaguars (24-6, 8-2) won Game 1 at home Friday 3-2 and Game 2 on the road Saturday 6-2.
“The girls just came out and continued to play well today,” North Pike head coach Sonya Wallace said after clinching the series Saturday. “It just means a lot to see those girls get the reward they’ve been working so hard to get. Hopefully, we can continue to play well this next week.”
North Pike pitcher Madison Bigner had 14 strikeouts, gave up four walks and threw a one-hitter in the win Friday. Twelve of the first 15 Lady Cougars’ outs were strikeouts.
North Pike is 9-0 since Bigner lost her house in a fire last month, and she pitched all of those games.
“She had everything working for her well today on the mound and she was confident,” Wallace said. “She came here ready to play this morning. When I saw her this morning, she was fired up ready to go along with the rest of the girls. They’re excited. They’re seeing their hard work pay off and they’re just continuing to get here and work hard.”
The Lady Jaguars had runners in scoring position the first, second and fourth innings, but could not get any runs home.
Janiah Talbert hit a one-out double in the bottom of the first inning, while Bigner reached on an intentional walk. Bigner walked three times as two of the free passes were intentional. Both runners were left stranded.
Jenna Brock doubled in the bottom of the second and moved to third on a Whitley Howell sacrifice bunt. Howell was 0 for 1 with two sacrifice bunts. Brock was left stranded at third.
Bates reached on an error in the bottom of the fourth while Brock singled, but both runners were once again left stranded.
North Pike broke through with a three-run bottom of the fifth to take a 3-0 lead.
Sarah Brock doubled and Talbert singled and both runners scored on a two-run Bigner double. Bigner’s pinch runner, Madison Moak, came home on a Bates sacrifice fly. Bigner was 1 for 1 with two RBIs.
Wallace said the Lady Jaguars were not able to get timely hits, but came through when they had to.
“Sometimes it just takes one person stepping in there, getting that spark for us,” she said. “It’s like everybody tends to catch on and go with her. We’ve just got to continue to find a way.”
North Pike loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth on a Brock single, Talbert double and an intentional walk to Bigner. However, Jami Spears lined out into a double play to end the inning.
Newton County scored on a two-run single in the top of the sixth to cut North Pike’s lead to 3-2, but Bigner got a Lady Cougar to ground out and end the inning. Jenna Brock was 3 for 3 with one double, Sarah Brock was 2 for 4 with one run and one double, Talbert was 3 for 4 with one run and one double and Linley Smith was 1 for 3.
In Saturday’s 6-2 win, North Pike jumped out to a 6-0 lead with one run in the first inning, two in the second and three in the third.
Janay Maxwell walked and scored in the second inning on a Talbert single.
Mary Kate Bates and Smith scored in the third on an error. Sarah Brock singled scoring Baylee Bryant.
Bigner threw another complete game giving up one earned run and three walks while recording three strikeouts.
Sarah Brock was 1 for 3 with one run, one walk and one RBI; Talbert was 2 for 4 with one RBI; Bigner was 1 for 3 with one RBI, one double and one walk; Madison Bates was 2 for 4 with one double; Smith was 3 for 4 with two runs; and Bryant was 1 for 4 with one run and two RBIs.
North Pike will play West Lauderdale in the 4A State Championship in a three-game series at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland. Game 1 is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday and Game 2 is at 11:30 a.m. Friday. Game 3, if necessary, will be Saturday.
