POYEN -- A newcomer made the difference in a rematch of last year's first round game in the Class 2A East Regional.
Freshman right-hander Carli Whitehead pitched a three-hit shutout as McCrory defeated Ouachita 2-0 Thursday, earning the Jaguars a trip to next week's state tournament.
"That was big,'' McCrory Coach Ronnie Massanelli said. "You have to win this one or you go home and wait till next year. We only have two seniors, and we dedicated the season to them. Now they get to go to state for the first time. We haven't been in six or seven years."
Whitehead survived a rough first inning in which she walked two batters, and in the fifth inning she allowed back-to-back singles with two outs. Each time, she stranded all the runners.
"She had a little nerves out there early, but she did a fantastic job for us,'' Massanelli said.
"She did a good job for a ninth-grader. She stepped up to the plate."
Whitehead, who struck out 7, was locked in a duel with Ouachita sophomore Maci Davis, who allowed 4 hits and had 3 strikeouts.
Hayden Breckenridge appeared to give the Jaguars a 1-0 lead with a single in the third, but Paige Dollar was called out on interference when she collided with Ouachita shortstop Alyssa Schweitzer, which allowed the ball to roll into center field.
With a second chance in the fifth, Breckenridge dropped a two-out single to center field just over the infield, scoring Grace Immel and Faith O'Shields.
Whitehead retired the final six batters.
"We played good defense,'' Whitehead said.
"We stress defense, and we practice it a lot. We knew it was going to be a tight ball game. We played them last year in the first game of the regionals, and they came out with the win. It was a totally different ball game this time."
HAZEN 1, MOUNT IDA 0
Consecutive two-out first-inning doubles from Sadie Shuck and Allie Burroughs scored the only run as the Hornets avoided a loss to a No. 4 seed. Burroughs got the RBI and also pitched seven shutout innings. Mount Ida had base runners on in five innings and left eight on base. Addison Black, who had a triple on offense, was the losing pitcher. She allowed five hits.
MAGNET COVE 11, DES ARC 5
Beth Cook picked up the victory and added a pair of hits, two walks and scored twice to lead Magnet Cove. Hayley Adelotte had a pair of hits, and Hannah Petty and Haleah Gray each scored twice. Jade Bell had a pair of hits and a walk for Des Arc.
POYEN 11,PALESTINE-WHEATLEY 1
Kaitlyn Black and Abby Fowles drove in two runs each, and Kindi Puckett dominated on the mound as the host Indians advanced. Black, Roo Pumphey and Lacy Beaver had three hits apiece.
Sports on 05/06/2016