MACON — The Central Academy fast-pitch softball team will have to wait a little longer to make some history.
Buoyed by two victories Saturday, Central Academy entered Monday’s action in the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Class A North State tournament in control of its destiny and primed to cross off the second goal — a North State championship — off its list from the preseason.
A 9-1 victory against Canton Academy in a winners’ bracket game Monday morning moved Central Academy one win away from that goal. Unfortunately, Tunica Academy had other plans. Led by pitcher McKenna Wilson, Tunica Academy came through the losers’ bracket and battled well into Monday evening to beat Central Academy 9-5 and 7-3 to win the North State title on the Vikings’ home field.
Despite the losses, Central Academy (14-11) will continue its season at 9 a.m. Monday in the MAIS Overall State tournament at Shiloh Park in Brandon. Central Academy will be the No. 2 seed from the North and will play the No. 3 seed from the South in the two-day, double-elimination tournament.
“It just wasn’t working out,” Lindsey said. “They’re a solid team. We’re going to have to play a little better if we are going to fight back to them (at the overall state tournament).”
Tunica Academy, the No. 1 seed from District 1, needed nine innings to beat Kemper Academy 5-4 on Saturday. It then lost to Calhoun Academy 3-0 on Saturday to fall into the losers’ bracket. Tunica Academy eliminated Hebron Christian 21-1 on Saturday before coming back Monday to beat DeSoto Academy and Calhoun Academy to set the stage for its games against Central Academy.
Lindsey credited Wilson, who pitched all four of her team’s games Monday. He said the Vikings did a good job putting the ball in play. In fact, he said the team had numerous hits but they didn’t come at the right time. He also praised Tunica Academy’s defense for making plays on hard-hit balls by Sadie Lindsey, Kelsey Robbins, and Savanah Stapleton.
“It seemed like we left so many on in the first game,” coach Lindsey said. “We hit the ball well. It wasn’t until the second or third inning in the first game that I felt we started to tag her, but we hit a lot of shots right at them.”
Lindsey said Central Academy led 3-1 midway through the first game. He said he tried to shuffle pitchers Allie Beth Rigdon, Courtney Gaylord, and Sadie Lindsey to keep his team close, but the offense couldn’t come through with enough hits to help the team back up its District 2 title.
“They’re a good team,” coach Lindsey said of Tunica Academy. “I think we’re pretty even. Defensively they’re pretty solid, too. Maybe next weekend if we meet them we will be able to turn the table.”
In Central Academy’s first game of the day, Gaylord allowed one hit through the first six innings before surrendering two hits and a run. She walked two and struck out three.
Lindsey had a single and scored a run, Ashly Brown scored a run, Robbins had a single, triple, and home run and scored four runs, Stapleton had four singles and scored a run, Rigdon had a single and scored a run, and Gaylord had a single.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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