Union County

Championships are defined by big plays, but one on Friday hurt the Lady Eagles, as they dropped game one of the 1A state title series, 8-5, to Bogue Chitto.

Tied at five with bases loaded and two outs for the Lady Cats in the fifth, Rheagan Welch hit what was ruled a triple, despite a questionable play where Alexis Givens ran into West Union short stop Brittany Taylor in between second and third, a move that head coach Lisa Bogue argued was interference. The play, overlooked, scored three runs for Bogue Chitto, the difference in the ball game.

New Albany’s Zach Hand and Myrtle’s Aspriona Gilbert each earned individual state titles in the shot put during last weekend’s State Track Championships in Pearl.
Gilbert, a junior at Myrtle, posted a mark of 35-11.00 in the 1A event, earning first over Chelsea Moore of Noxapater.
The duo would also place in top two in the discus, with Moore winning and Gilbert finishing second. The Lady Hawks finished fourth as a team, while the Hawks earned an eighth place finish last Friday.

Experience is not on the side of West Union this year, but despite the youth and the loss of seven players from the 2010 North Half runner-up squad, the Lady Eagles battled for two Saturday wins, advancing to next weekend’s 1A State Championship.

East Union standout Heather Dillard was named the Co-Player of the Year for Region 2-2A in softball, an honor that accompanies three All-Division selections for the Lady Urchins.
Dillard shares the honor with former Ingomar standout and current Mantachie Lady Mustang Allisa Patterson, who placed four others on the All-Division list.
Catcher Rachel Elder, pitcher Alie Haynie and center fielder Chelsea Kuhn were also selected for East Union, who finished their season in the first round of the 2A state playoffs, falling to Baldwyn in three games.