North Pike’s softball team is just two games away from winning the 4A State Championship for the first time and will play for title in a best-of-three- series against West Lauderdale at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland.
Game 1 is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Game 2 is at 11:30 a.m. Friday and Game 3, if necessary, is Saturday.
According to Lady Jaguars head coach Sonya Wallace, the school’s fast-pitch program started in 2000 and she has been the coach the entire time. North Pike won the South State Championship in 2009 and 2010, but was the runner-up in the championship.
Six years later, North Pike has another chance to win it all.
“I’m just excited for the girls,” Wallace said. “They’ve worked really hard this season and I’m just glad to see their hard work pay off for them. I just hope they’ll continue to play at their level, get out there, play to the best of their ability like they have been and just give it their all. I think we’ll get some good results again this weekend.”
North Pike has three seniors on the roster. They are center fielder Sarah Brock, who will be playing for Jones County Junior College next season, outfielder Baylee Bryant, who will be playing for Southwest Mississippi Community College next season, and right fielder Janay Maxwell.
“Back when we were there in 2010, I believe it was, a couple of these were around during that time,” Wallace said. “I know Sarah was a manager for us the first year that we went and she really looked up to our senior that year, Hali Sasser. I made a comment to Hali over the weekend, ‘Well, I guess you led her well because she’s gotten us back to where you did.’ ”
Sasser was a center fielder, just like Brock, and went on to play for SMCC.
The battery consists of pitcher Madison Bigner and catcher Madison Bates, who will both be playing in an All-Star Game for juniors at JCJC on June 4.
Janiah Talbert is at third base, Jenna Brock, who is a freshman and the sister of Sarah Brock, is the shortstop, Linley Smith is at second base and Whitley Howell is at first base. Jami Spears is a left fielder.
The Lady Jaguars (24-6, 8-2) are undefeated in the postseason. They beat Greene County in the play-in round 2-0 in a best-of-three series. North Pike swept Pass Christian, Lawrence County and Newton County 2-0 in the three playoff rounds in spite of not having home field advantage.
“Obviously, anytime you’ve got the momentum your way, that’s a plus,” Wallace said. “I think we’re going to be OK. We’ve responded when we’ve gotten behind in some of those games. That’s one of the things we’ve stressed to the girls.
“We’re going to keep our composure, no matter what. We’ll just get in there and battle and know that it’s not over until the last outs are made.”
The North Pike head coach knows things will not get any easier in the championship round.
“Obviously, anybody that gets to this point from up there is going to have a good team,” Wallace said. “West Lauderdale, they’ve got a good hitting team and a little eighth grader that pitches extremely well. They’re going to play solid defense.”
