RIDGELAND — The New Hope High School baseball team never counted itself out in the 2011 season.
Regardless of the size of the deficit, the Trojans somehow rallied or worked themselves out of holes all season.
New Hope followed a familiar pattern Monday, rallying from an early deficit. This time, though, Ridgeland had an answer New Hope couldn”t respond to.
Ridgeland rallied for five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning en route to a 9-4 victory in Game 3 of the best-of-three Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A North State playoff series.
With the win, Ridgeland (21-8) advanced to the North State title series to take on Oxford at 6 p.m. Thursday, while New Hope sees its season end at 24-9.
“We just had one bad inning like we did Friday night,” New Hope coach Lee Boyd said, referring to his team”s 6-5 loss in extra innings in Game 1. “We competed hard, but they put some hits together in the bottom of the fifth inning and scored five runs. You have to give them credit.”
Boyd said New Hope had two outs and two strikes in the bottom of the fifth before Ridgeland rallied.
Peyton Lee started on the mound for New Hope, but was lifted for Taylor Stafford after Ridgeland, the 2010 Class 5A runner-up, scored four runs in the first two innings. Stafford held Ridgeland until the fifth, when the rally began. Neither Stafford nor Dillon Hawkins, who earned the victory in Game 2 on Saturday, could slow the momentum.
Stafford allowed three hits and two runs in three innings. Hawkins allowed four hits and three runs in 1 1/3 innings.
New Hope tied the game in the top of the fifth inning thanks in part to errors, but the tie was short-lived.
Stafford and Lee were 2-for-4, while Jared Shelton had a double and an RBI. Thomas Woodruff also had a hit and an RBI.
Hunter Lohman started on the mound for Ridgeland. He allowed six hits and four runs (two earned) in 4 1/3 innings.
Ridgeland turned to senior Nick Johnson, who started Game 1, down the stretch. The Southern Miss signee didn”t allow a hit in the final 2 2/3 innings. He struck out four of the last five he faced.
Johnson also was 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Andrew Hulbert was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
n Mantachie 5, East Webster 2: At Mantachie: Three errors in the third inning helped Mantachie score four runs and go on to win Game 3 Monday in its best-of-three Class 2A North State playoff series.
Mantachie will advance to face Hamilton in the North State title series, which will begin Thursday in Hamilton.
East Webster, which overcame a recent tornado that destroyed its high school and damaged its baseball field, ends its season at 20-8.
“We win the game 2-1 if we don”t make those errors,” East Webster coach Wes Johnson said. “We outhit them, but it was similar to the first game when we made some mistakes. Their pitcher threw strikes and didn”t walk anybody.”
Collin Minga pitched a complete game to lead the Mustangs, who built a 4-0 lead. Jamie McKee had two hits, including a solo home run in the fourth inning.
Nich Morrow”s double in the fifth cut the deficit to 4-2, but the Wolverines failed to do more damage as they left the bases loaded.
Conner Burton went the first 2 1/3 innings and suffered the loss. Ty Hendrix came on in relief.
“We won 20 games and went 20-8,” Johnson said. “I would say we had a good year.”
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