Lady Longhorns split Saturday nail biters in Grove Hill

Marengo Academy (2-2) split a Saturday tilt with Wilcox and Southern Choctaw at the Gator Classic in Grove Hill. The Longhorns fell 10-9 to Wilcox to open the day, marking the second one-run loss of the tournament for the Marengo ladies. The contest lasted only three innings due to meeting the time limit. Marengo hung seven runs on the board in the third while Wilcox answered with five.

Mary Grace Sheffield singled, drove in a run, scored twice and stole a base. Hannah Freeman was 2-for-3 with one RBI, two stolen bases and two runs scored. Macey Petrey finished 2-for-2 with a run scored and two steals.

Trinity Wilkinson was 1-for-1 with a sacrifice fly, two RBIs, three stolen bases and a run scored. Carley Vickers singled, stole a base and scored a run. Riley Newton doubled. Adrienne Griffith scored and stole a base.

In the second game of the day, the Longhorns trailed 2-0 until the fifth when Sheffield and Freeman combined to tie the game. Marengo took the lead in the sixth with two more runs.

South Choctaw scraped back in the sixth, plating a pair of runs to tie the game at 4-4.

In the top of the seventh, Marengo took advantage of the international tiebreaker rules. With Vickers standing on second to open the inning, Sheffield bunted for a base hit to put runners on the corners. Petrey, a Mississippi State signee, opted to leave little to doubt as she stroked a three-run homer over the left field fence to set the final margin. Wilkinson, a seventh grader, slammed the door in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.

Sheffield finished 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of runs scored. Freeman singled and drove in two. Petrey finished 1-for-3 with a homer, three RBIs and a run scored. Wilkinson went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, a stolen base and a run scored.

Brittan Davis singled and scored. Riley Newton doubled. Taylor Jordan doubled and drove in a pair of runs. Morgan Broadhead and Vickers each scored.