West Lauderdale softball wins MHSAA Class 4A state title as Purvis walks in winning run
HATTIESBURG — Tied 6-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning, West Lauderdale softball was hoping it could turn over its lineup to get Addison Cornish to the plate. Purvis walked the first batter, the second batter — and then the third, loading the bases with two outs.
So of course, that brought Cornish, the leadoff hitter, to the plate. She had hit a game-tying, two-run homer in the sixth inning and now had a chance to win it for West Lauderdale.
Cornish said she was looking for a hit, but Purvis pitcher Jadie Byrd gave her three balls instead. The next pitch was ball four, resulting in a walk-off walk for the MHSAA Class 4A state championship. She flashed her bat at the final pitch as if she was going to swing but knew all along there was no chance she was going to.
“I was going to get screamed at if I did,” Cornish said after the 7-6 win in Game 2 on Thursday at the Southern Miss Softball Complex.
West Lauderdale (35-4) won Game 1 on Tuesday 5-1. The sweep marks back-to-back state championships after the Knights beat North Pike last season.
“We're blessed,” West Lauderdale coach Jake Loper said. “It's hard to go back-to-back. Winning one is not that bad but it's hard to win two.”
The Knights had to overcome an usually poor pitching performance from Breelyn Cain, the 4A Miss Softball winner and a Jones College signee. She entered Thursday with a 0.56 ERA and a 21-3 record, and had only allowed 13 earned runs this season.
But Purvis (27-6) scored six runs off Cain, which Loper believes is the most she has allowed in a start all season.
Five of the six runs came in the fifth inning to give Purvis a 6-4 lead. Cain, a senior, stayed in the game, though, and tossed two scoreless innings. She also pitched all seven innings in Game 1.
“We were never worried about the hits really because a lot of it wasn't like they were just barreling it up and knocking the piss out of them,” Loper said.
SOUTH PANOLA: Shania Fondren’s homer lifts South Panola softball to MHSAA 6A state title vs Hancock
Cain’s poise kept West Lauderdale in the game as Cornish hit her game-tying, two-run home.
Cornish batted 5-for-8 with one walk, three runs and five RBIs in the two games and was named series MVP.
“I feel so good,” she said. “I'm excited to pick out the ring.”
Sam Sklar is the Southern Miss beat reporter for the Hattiesburg American. Email him at ssklar@hattiesb.gannett.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: West Lauderdale beats Purvis for MHSAA softball Class 4A state title
