The host Enterprise Lady Yellow Jackets got what they neededdown the stretch Monday night at the Sports Complex against the OurLady Academy Crescents. from Bay St. Louis.

Hits from key players in the sixth inning and strong-armpitching from Nicole Floyd in the seventh gave Enterprise a tough9-6 victory over OLA in the third game of a best-of-three series inthe opening round of the Class 1A-2A state fastpitch softballplayoffs.

Enterprise, coached by Steve Sasser and Jill Nations, advancesto the next round scheduled to begin Thursday night. Their opponentwill be either St. Aloysius or Enterprise (Clarke).

Host St. Aloysius beat Enterprise-Clarke last night 5-2 in thefirst game of their delayed best-of-three first-round series. Thefinal two games are set tonight at Enterprise-Clarke.

“I can’t say enough about Floyd,” said Sasser following thegame. “She closed the door on them. We depended on her allyear.”

Floyd (8-7) pitched a doubleheader Saturday and had one day’srest to get ready for last night. She finished with four strikeoutsand seven walks.

OLA went up 6-5 in the top of the fifth inning, breaking a 5-5tie with Enterprise. The Lady Jackets picked the bottom of thesixth to turn the game around.

Kaylin Burke led off with a walk and Dana Moak went to firstafter being hit by Crescent pitcher Robin Wright. A wild pitchallowed both players to advance to second and third base. Katlinstole home play on another wild pitch to tie the game at 6-all.

Ashley Palomarez singled hard to score Moak and gave Enterprisea 7-6 lead. Following with a slashing single apiece were BrandiBeeson and Savannah Palomarez. Ashley Tate’s single scored AshleyPalomarez for the eighth run and an 8-6 lead. Breann Laird’s singlescored pinch runner Jaronda Moore for the 9-6 lead.

Enterprise took a 2-0 lead in the first inning over OLA.Savannah Palomarez singled and Tate singled when Laird came to batthe belted a triple to score both runners. Moore served as pinchrunner for Savannah Palomarez

OLA scored one run in the top of the second and Enterprise cameback with two more runs to push their lead to 4-1. Brandi Beesonwalked and Ashley Palomarez singled. Savannah Palomarez singled toscore Ashley. Moore stole all bases for the fourth run.

In the next two innings, the Lady Crescents scored fourunanswered runs to go ahead 5-4. In the bottom of the fourth,Savannah Palomarez singled and Moore advanced to third and scoredon a wild pitch to tie the game at 5-5 after four full linings.

In the top of the fifth, OLA scored its final run of the game totake a 6-5 lead over Enterprise.