Prep Softball: Vancleave snaps losing streak to East Central and forces game 3 in Class 5A South State
Vancleave pitcher Brooklyn Howard takes aim on home plate vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)
By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
PERKINSTON — Vancleave picked the perfect time to snap its four game losing streak to longtime acrh-rival East Central.
The Lady Bulldogs got an all-around outstanding outing from Brooklyn Howard in pulling out a 2-1 win in nine innings Saturday afternoon in game two of the Class 5A South State championship series. The win, here at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, pushes the series to a third and deciding game back here Monday at 5 p.m.
East Central batter Breyona Tanner makes contact with a pitch vs. Vancleave Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)Vancleave outfielder Jayda Ferrell settles under a fly ball vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)East Central batter Abby Danis makes contact with a pitch vs. Vancleave Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)Vancleave batter Jayda Ferrell offers up a bunt vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)
Howard not only hurled a completed game in the circle, but drove in the game-winning run in the second extra session as well.
While ECHS drops to 27-7 overall, Vancleave is just 16-19 but now just a win away from playing for a state title.
“This team just keeps fighting,” first-year VHS head coach Kyle Long said.
Vancleave batter Bailey Ross takes a swing at a pitch vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)
With the game knotted up at 1-1 entering the bottom of the ninth, Howard stroked a walk-off, run-scoring sacrifice fly to center field that plated ghost runner Jayda Ferrell with the decisive run.
In the circle, Howard allowed seven hits and didn’t strike out anyone but her teammates were perfect behind her playing error free to seal the win and stave off elimination.
Vancleave batter Hadleigh Hall fouls off a pitch vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)East Centra infielder Hailey Gordon makes a play on a ground ball vs. Vancleave Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)Vancleave infielder Brenley Hunter reaches up for a throw down vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)Vancleave infielder Brenley Hunter applies the tag as East Central base runner Lizzy Kennedy slides into second Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)
“Very proud of Brooklyn and her effort,” Long added. “She has battled all year and been tough. Her and us as a team have had bumps and bruises along the way and we have given ourselves a chance to play game three. I’m proud of her and how much she has progressed this season, especially mentally.”
Howard and East Central starter Abby Danis were knee deep in an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel through regulation, as both posted seven stanzas of shutout softball.
In the top of the eighth, Lady Hornet Chloe Sheppard’s RBI-single scored East Central’s only run of the game before Howard worked her way out of the inning.
Vancleave responded with an RBI-single from Bailey Ross to tie things back up at 1-1.
In this photo sequence, Vancleave catcher Sophia Hillman hauls in a throw from outfielder Peyton Steinwinder and tags East Central base runner Lauren Pinkston out at home in the top of the 11th Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)In this photo sequence, Vancleave catcher Sophia Hillman hauls in a throw from outfielder Peyton Steinwinder and tags East Central base runner Lauren Pinkston out at home in the top of the 11th Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)In this photo sequence, Vancleave catcher Sophia Hillman hauls in a throw from outfielder Peyton Steinwinder and tags East Central base runner Lauren Pinkston out at home in the top of the 11th Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)In this photo sequence, Vancleave catcher Sophia Hillman hauls in a throw from outfielder Peyton Steinwinder and tags East Central base runner Lauren Pinkston out at home in the top of the 11th Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)
Howard and the Lady Bulldogs were the recipients of the biggest defensive play of the game in the top of the ninth, when VHS left fielder Peyton Steinwinder hauled in a fly ball for the second out and then gunned down ECHS base runner Lauren Pinkston at home with a strong throw to catcher Sophia Hollimon to end the inning.
Hadleigh Hall led the Lady Bulldogs offensively with two hits, including a double.
Sheppard, Danis, and Breyona Tanner each collected two hits apiece for ECHS.
Danis took the tough-luck loss.
Vancleave outfielder Lexi Cook pulls in a pop up vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)East Central infielder Breyona Tanner reaches down for the ball as Vancleave base runner Areiah Block slides safely into second Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)Vancleave infielder Brenley Hunter reaches out for a throw down to second vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)Vancleave base runner Jayda Ferrell slides home with the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth vs. East Central Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Steve Coleman)
Leave a Reply