Published: June 20, 2009 11:55 pm      

North romps in 4A-5A slow-pitch doubleheader

DECATUR — There was a definite imbalance of power in the Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 4A-5A Slow-pitch All-Star Games Friday night at Newton County High School.

The North took a 9-2 win in the opener, then coasted to a 15-6 win in the second game to complete the sweep.

The North outhit the South 38-13 in the two games.

Leading 4-2 in the opener, the North broke the game open with five runs in the top of the fifth inning. In the frame, Ashley Case of Tupelo had an RBI triple, Paige Livingston of Cleveland had a two-run single, and Neshoba Central’s Abbie Joiner had an RBI single.

The North had 18 hits with Kristen Harvey of New Hope getting two singles and a double in scoring two runs. Livingston had three singles and drove in three runs. Joiner, Victoria Culpepper of New Hope, and Robin Spencer of Starkville each had a pair of singles.

J’Quandra Hickman of Meridian had two of the South’s six hits. She drove in the North’s first run with a triple in the right-fielder corner that plated Shannon Mosley of Quitman in the first inning. Mosley had reached on a two-out single.

The North took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second on RBI singles by Joiner and Livingston.

Livingston got the win with Meridian’s DeVonna Gilmer taking the loss.

In the second game, the North turned a precarious 3-2 lead into a 9-2 advantage with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The North racked up 20 hits in the win. Livingston had three singles and drove in four runs for the North. North MVP Whitnee Jenkins of Pearl had three singles and a triple as did Cleveland’s Min Kandies. Kandies also had two RBI. Harvey had three singles and two RBI, while Lauren Nicholas of Neshoba Central had two singles.

In the two games, Livingston went 4-for-6 with seven RBI. She was also the winning pitcher in both contests.

Hickman had a triple and two RBI to take MVP honors for the South. Jourdan Natale of Harrison Central had a single and a double to plate a pair of runs.

The South had seven hits and committed five errors.

Gilmer took the loss.