Softball roundup: Scott, Denise Leggett earn career win No. 600
Published 9:00 am Wednesday, March 23, 2022
- Photo Submitted Loyd Star softball coaches Scott and Denis Leggett hold a game-ball after a 7-2 win over West Marion on Saturday. The victory was career win no. 600 for the pair that have coached together at Bogue Chitto and Loyd Star.
Here’s a look at how area high school teams fared in recent softball action.
Loyd Star
The Hornets moved to 9-2 on the season after getting a 12-3 win over Pearl and a 5-1 victory against West Marion at the Brookhaven High Tournament on Saturday.
The win over West Marion provided a measure of revenge after Loyd Star lost 7-2 to the Trojans a week earlier.
It was also a millstone win as it was career softball victory No. 600 for Loyd Star coaches Scott and Denise Leggett.
Scott Leggett was once the head football coach at Enterprise back in 2003 for one season. Leggett coached at EAC for a total of four years and had come to the school after spending one year as a teacher and coach at Brookhaven Academy.
After marrying Denise, a standout softball and tennis player during her high school career at Loyd Star, the pair worked together for one season at EAC where Denise started the tennis program at the school.
Bogue Chitto is Scott Leggett’s alma mater and in 2004 then principal Jerry Meador hired Scott and Denise to lead the Bobcats in both slow and fastpitch softball.
The school played for state titles 11 times in the Leggett’s tenure that lasted 14 years. Bogue Chitto won two slow-pitch titles and four fast-pitch championships during that time.
The family made the move to Loyd Star after the 2018 season and Scott Leggett was an assistant for longtime LS head coach Jan Delaughter until her retirement following the 2020 season.
At Loyd Star, the pair get to coach their daughter Alyssa who’s a junior catcher on the team.
With 304 career slow-pitch wins and 296 career fast-pitch wins, the Leggett’s have made a mark on the game in Lincoln County.
“I’ve always loved softball,” said Scott Leggett on Tuesday as he enjoyed a rare in-season day off thanks to the heavy rains that blanketed the state.
“It’s been a part of my life ever since I was young and I grew up playing with and against some great ball players when I was a kid,” said Leggett. “I’ve taken bits and pieces of past experiences — wins and losses — and tried to apply them throughout my career. I’m thankful to have Denise by my side all these years. She does a lot for me and the girls. We owe it all to our former players at Bogue Chitto and now our current players at Loyd Star. God has really blessed us over the years with outstanding young ladies — we’ve loved them all.”
Brookhaven High
Coach Mandy Vinson’s squad went 2-0 at Lady Panther Park on Saturday in their annual invitational softball tournament.
Brookhaven High is now 7-6 on the season after beating Enterprise 8-2 and Vicksburg 10-5. Weather permitting, BHS is scheduled to begin region play on Thursday at Florence High.
Vinson’s team was supposed to play West Jones in a region game on Tuesday, but that contest was rained out.
They’ll now play at West Jones on Thursday, March 31 and then host the Mustangs on Friday, April 1. Natchez is the other member of Region 5-5A along with BHS, Florence and West Jones.
BHS is scheduled to host Natchez High on Monday, March 28.
Bogue Chitto
Like Brookhaven High and the other schools in the area, Bogue Chitto had a game scheduled for Tuesday rained out by the severe weather that moved into the area.
The Bobcats and coach Candace McDowell had been scheduled to play West Lincoln in a road game that would be the Region 7-2A opener for both schools. A makeup date has not been announced.
BC beat McComb 19-0 the last time it took the field on March 11 at home. Weather permitting, the Bobcats (4-6) are scheduled to host Loyd Star in a region game on Thursday and travel to Enterprise for a non-region game on Friday.
Enterprise
The Yellow Jackets were supposed to play host to Salem on Tuesday before the game was rained out. It has been rescheduled for March 28 at EAC.
Coach Alicia Smith’s young team is 3-6 on the season after losing to BHS and 6A Warren Central (14-0) at the Brookhaven High tourney.
The Jackets whipped Pearl High 14-0 in their last game before spring break on March 10.
EAC is scheduled to play at Salem on Thursday and then host Bogue Chitto on Friday.
Region 8-1A is made up of Enterprise, Salem, Taylorsville and Bay Springs.
West Lincoln
Coach Anita Thornton’s Bears sit at 6-5 on the season after splitting a pair of games at the BHS tourney.
West Lincoln lost a close 5-3 decision to Warren Central in its first game of the day before bouncing back to beat Pearl 5-2.
WL is scheduled to play in Vicksburg on Saturday in a tournament at Sports Force Parks. The Bears will play Vicksburg High at 1:05 p.m. and then face Warren Central at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Wesson
WAC coach Michelle Nunnery wisely moved up the region opener against Tylertown to Monday and the teams played two with Wesson winning 15-0 and 14-1 to move to 8-1 on the season.
The lone loss of the season for Wesson was an 18-5 defeat to Florence.
Wesson will knock out two more Region 7-3A games on Thursday — weather permitting — when they’ll host Hazlehurst for a doubleheader.
Nunnery’s team is also scheduled to host Loyd Star on Friday for a 6 p.m. first pitch.
Hazlehurst lost 16-0 and 24-0 to Franklin County earlier this season. Hazlehurst, Franklin County, Tylertown, Port Gibson and Wesson make up the teams in Region 7.
Franklin County is scheduled to visit Wesson on March 28.