By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HATTIESBURG — George County’s march to the Class 6A state softball championship hit a snag Wednesday afternoon.

And that snag came in the form of a perennial state power on the diamond.

Neshoba Central overcame a 6-3 deficit in the sixth by scoring four straight runs to end the game and rally for a 7-6 decision in game two of the Class 6A state championship series here at The University of Southern Mississippi Softball Complex.

The win by the Lady Rockets, who have won eight state titles in the past 13 years, causes a third and final game in the affair which is set for Saturday morning at 10 a.m., George County won game one Tuesday 4-1.

“That is what it is, we couldn’t hold the lead.” first-year GCHS head coach Anna Grace Cooley said. “They had some fight in them, and we just let them get away with it. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We’ve got to fight harder come Saturday morning. The girls will dig deep and do what they always do; they’ll come to fight. We’ll be ready.”

Tied up at 6-6 heading into the top of the seventh, Neshoba Central pushed across the decisive run on a run-scoring pop up in foul territory from Xiomara Fireplace that plated Laura Eakes. The Lady Rebels also committed two errors in the inning that didn’t help their cause either.

George County had seemingly took command with a four run fifth frame that erased a slight 3-2 deficit and vaulted GCHS ahead 6-3 entering the sixth stanza.

Blakely Slay’s two-run triple was the key blow in the rally, while Kyleigh Howell drove her in with an RBI-single.

The Lady Rebels also overcame an early 1-0 deficit when Dakari McNair stole home and Braylee Bishop drove in a run in a two-run second.

But the Lady Rockets bounced back with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth to set the stage for the chaotic final few frames.

Peyton Collins took the loss in the circle in relief of Addison Davis.

Fireplace had two hits and two RBIs for NCHS, and Laicey Morris had two hits also.

Howell had two hits for GCHS.

Miley Thomas earned the win in relief, holding George County scoreless over the final 2.1 innings while allowing just one hit and just one base runner over that span as well.

The Lady Rebels committed four errors in the loss.

“We’ve played good defense all season.” Cooley concluded. “The sun got to us a little bit, but there’s no excuse for that, so we’ll work on it. We’ve got two days to practice on it, so we’ll be good.”

The loss snapped an 11-game win streak for the Lady Rebels. George County is 31-3 overall heading into the season finale, while Neshoba Central is 24-10.