By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HURLEY — East Central is headed back to the state softball championship round for the third time in four seasons.

The Lady Hornets thumped longtime arch-rival Vancleave 9-0 Saturday afternoon in the third and deciding game of their Class 5A South State Championship series. East Central returns to the state finals after a one year absence. The Lady Hornets fell in the Class 5A state finals in both 2021 and 2022 to Neshoba Central.

East Central won game one at home Thursday night 3-2 before the Lady Bulldogs took a 2-0 win at their place Friday night to even the series up and force the rubber match.

But the Lady Hornets, who lost just twice at home all season long, weren’t about to be denied and throttled VHS in the series finale.

East Central made its intentions known early, jumping out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first frame and cruising to the win.

Bree Phillips stroked a two-run home run in that first frame rally, and Madi Eubanks chipped in an RBI-single as well.

The Lady Hornets added one more run to that lead in the fourth frame, and two more runs in the fifth to make it 6-0 as Kallie Lawson cracked a solo home run.

A two-run home run by Lillie Evans was part of a three run sixth stanza for the home team that resulted in the final score, and also included an RBI-double by Breyonna Tanner.

Meanwhile, Tanner was in complete control in the circle, as she hurled a complete game six hit shutout to take the win. She struck out one and walked one in letting her defense give her plenty of help as well as the Lady Hornets committed only one error behind her.

Evans led ECHS offensively with two hits, while she and Tanner each drove in two runs apiece. Tanner had that double, and of course that trio of home runs from Evans, Phillips and Lawson were pretty key in the win as well.

Aubree Hunter had a game-high three hits for Vancleave, including a double, and Brooklyn Rhodes added a pair of hits for the Lady ‘Dogs. 

Rhodes also went the distance in the circle and took the loss.

East Central took four wins in five games between the two Region 4-5A foes this season, after the Lady Hornets swept the two game regular season series.

That lone win came Friday night, when Rhodes dominated in that 2-0 shutout for VHS. She got a two-run single from Hadleigh Hall with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to pick up the win.