he Alcorn Central Lady Bears used timely hitting and dominant pitching to secure a 10-7 win over the Ripley Lady Tigers on Tuesday night.
Eighth grader McKinley Byrd led the offensive charge, going 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Byrd doubled down the right field line in the first inning to drive in a run, singled in the third to plate two more, and added another RBI single in the fifth to cap off a breakout performance.
Ripley struck first in the top of the first inning when Emma Edwards launched a solo home run to right field. Alcorn Central answered quickly in the bottom half of the frame, capitalizing on a Ripley error before Byrd’s RBI double helped give the Lady Bears a 2-1 lead.
Alcorn Central added another run in the second inning following a Ripley miscue, but the Lady Tigers battled back in the third. Ahnizya Wallace doubled to drive in two runs, and Hayven Van Tassell’s double play ball allowed another run to score, giving Ripley a 4-3 advantage.
The Lady Bears responded immediately. In the bottom of the third, Byrd delivered again with a two-run single to reclaim the lead at 5-4. Ripley tied the game at five in the fourth inning after a dropped third strike extended the inning.
The game turned decisively in the fifth. Alcorn Central exploded for five runs on five hits to build a 10-5 cushion. The biggest swing came from Haizley Barber, who ripped a two-run single on an 0-2 count. The Lady Bears finished with 12 hits on the night, with Byrd and senior pitcher Sydnee Norman each collecting three hits. BryLee Price and Adysen Davis added multiple hits as well, while Barber swiped two bases as part of a four-steal effort for Alcorn Central.
In the circle, senior Sydnee Norman was electric. She went the distance, striking out 14 while allowing five hits and seven runs — just two earned — across seven innings. Norman threw 124 pitches, 78 for strikes, and worked around five walks to keep Ripley at bay.
Wallace led Ripley with two hits, while Edwards homered and drew three walks. Autumn Mayes, Wallace, and Edwards each drove in a run for the Lady Tigers, who showed patience at the plate with five walks overall.
Ripley finished with seven runs on five hits, while Alcorn Central improved with a 10-run, 12-hit performance.
The Lady Bears return to action Thursday with a road matchup at Walnut.
