MONTICELLO – Runners-up in last year’s South State slowpitchsoftball playoffs, the Poplarville Lady Hornets erased that bittermemory and won the South 4A title Tuesday. They swept the LawrenceCounty Lady Cougars, winning 4-1 and 13-6 as the hostsself-destructed with 10 errors.

Poplarville (26-2), coached by Jonathan Ray, advances to theMHSAA State Championships that are set for Saturday at the V.A.Fields in Jackson. It will be a best-of-three series against theNorth Champion, either Newton County or West Lauderdale.

“We got a huge advantage by winning Game One,” said Coach Ray.”It helped us because we didn’t have to be the visitors twice. Myseniors stepped up on both sides, offensively and defensively. Mywhole lineup stepped up in key situations.”

Lawrence County, under the direction of interim coach TarveyWard, ends its season at 17-9.

Poplarville 4, Lawrence Co. 1

In the opener, Poplarville took a 4-0 lead in the top of thesecond inning and finished with 8 hits. Kayla Ross hit a 2-RBIdouble and scored on a single by Alyssa Graeter in the 3-runsecond.

Graeter (0 K, 3 BB) was the winning pitcher in both games.

Shelby Mitchell (1 K, 0 BB) absorbed the loss as the Cougarscommitted 4 errors.

LCHS catcher Dalphne Armstrong hit a solo homer in the secondinning but received 3 intentional walks in her next at-bats. MaryMcLaurin doubled and singled for LCHS.

At the plate, Ross collected a double and 2 singles. Graetersingled twice.

Poplarville 13, Lawrence Co. 6

The Hornets took a 5-1 lead in the second inning and led 11-3after the third. They outhit the Cougars 13-12. LCHS committed 6errors.

Graeter (1 K, 3 BB) pitched the win. Mitchell (1 K, 2 BB) tookthe loss.

Ross, the leadoff batter, singled twice and tripled. Graetersingled twice and doubled. Branda Northrop tripled. Two singles byJanessa Dedeaux drove in 3 runs. Kelly Ladner singled twice.

The Cougars got 3 doubles from Kristen Sauls. Mitchell doubledtwice and had 2 RBIs. Kristen Cone singled twice and collected anRBI.