MERIDIAN- For the second straight playoff series the LadyTrojans of Northeast Lauderdale had to play three games. For thesecond straight series Northeast picked up the win to move on andfor the second straight year the Lady Trojans will compete for the4A State Championship.

Northeast defeated Brookhaven 9-1 in the first game Tuesday andthen fell 9-1 in the second game. The Lady Trojans came throughwith an 11-4 victory in the third game to win the South StateChampionship at Northeast Park on Tuesday night.

“I think that we came out ready to play in the first game,” saidhead coach Chris Harper. “I think we got relaxed and thought we hadit. A similar thing happened at Poplarville. I think the girlswanted it and they came out in the third game and really playedhard.

“I’m just excited about being able to go back to Jackson. We’vegot a good ball team and I think we’re ready to play.”

The Lady Trojans move to 28-8 on the year with the two wins.They will face New Hope for the state championship on Saturday inJackson’s VA Field. New Hope (32-2) swept Neshoba Central 14-10 and17-5 yesterday to win the North State title.

Brookhaven, coached by Lisa Covington, finishes the season at25-8.

Northeast 11, Brookhaven 4

Northeast scored four runs in the second and five runs in thebottom of the fourth inning to take the final game of thethree-game series.

Brookhaven struck first in the top of the first inning.Chuvaquah Smith singled with one out in the inning. JaRonda Moorealso ripped a single and Samantha Boutwell hit a single off thewall in left to load the bases.

Ashley Sykes brought in Smith with a single, but the LadyTrojans came through with a double play to end the inning beforeBrookhaven could come up with another run.

Northeast came back in the bottom of the first with two runs.Jana Olczak singled and Lauren Webb doubled. Amber Gray brought inOlczak with a ground out. The Lady Trojans then caught a break asBrookhaven made an error to allow the Northeast to take a 2-1lead.

The Lady Trojans scored four runs in the second to expand thelead. Capri Norris and Kara Hull singled to start the inning. Aftera groundout moved the runners up, Olczak brought in a run with asacrifice fly. Webb walked and Raleigh Odom blasted a three-runhomer over the fence in left to make the score 6-1.

The Lady Panthers struck back for a run in the third. MeganBateman singled and scored when Moore singled and the Lady Trojansmade an error on the play.

Northeast put the game away in the fourth inning. Norris reachedon an error and Hull singled. After another error loaded the bases,Olczak walked to bring in a run. Webb singled to bring in anotherto make the score 8-1. After a sacrifice fly by Odom brought in arun, Gray ripped a line drive that was caught by the secondbaseman. The fielder threw the ball trying to double-up the runnerat first, but hit the runner to allow Olczak to come around andscore. Webb later scored when Jayme Gardner’s fly ball wasdropped.

Brookhaven cut the lead to 11-4 in the sixth with two runs.Bateman reached base when her line drive was dropped. ChuvaquahSmith singled and Northeast made an error to allow Bateman toscore. Smith later scored on another Northeast error.

Northeast shut down the Lady Panthers in the seventh inning totake the 11-4 win and the South State Championship.

Northeast 9, Brookhaven 1

The Lady Trojans came ready to play in the first game of theseries and took at 1-0 lead in the series with a 9-1 win.

The Lady Panthers took an early lead in the top of the first.Bateman and Chuvaquah Smith both singled to start the game. Batemanlater scored on a fielder’s choice by Moore. A double play gotNortheast out of the inning.

Gardner singled in Olczak and Webb in the bottom of the first togive Northeast the lead.

The Lady Trojans scored three runs in the second. Olczak broughtin Norris with a sacrifice fly. Webb and Odom each had an RBIsingle to bring in two runs.

Hull brought in two runs with a single in the fifth inning tostretch the Northeast lead to 7-1.

The Lady Trojans put Brookhaven away with two runs in the sixth.Gray brought in a run with a single and another run scored on anerror to give Northeast a 9-1 victory.

Brookhaven 9, Northeast 1

Brookhaven had its back against the wall, but came out swingingin the second game of the series.

The Lady Panthers scored a run in the third inning when KaylaPrince singled in Allyson Wallace to make the score 1-0.

Northeast answered with a run in the top of the fourth inningwhen Blair Rawson brought in Odom with a two-out single.

The Lady Panther took control of the game in the bottom of thefourth. Smith and Moore singled to start the inning. Smith scoredon a fielder’s choice by Boutwell. Sykes, Brittany Smith and MandyVinson put together three straight singles to make the score 3-1.Another run scored on a single

by Wallace. The Lady Panthers finished off the five-run inningwith a two-run single by Kensy Hoff to make the score 6-1.

Brookhaven also added three runs in the fifth inning. CortneyFielder singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Chuvaquah Smith.Boutwell smashed a two-run homer to make the final score 9-1.