MAGNOLIA – The Lawrence County Lady Cougars defeated the South Pike Lady Eagles 14-0 in slow pitch softball action Tuesday evening, clinching a berth in the 4A softball playoffs.

With the win, Meleah Howard’s girls improved to 14-4 overall and finished 3-1 in the three-team Division 7-4A race. Lawrence County and North Pike both finished 3-1, having split their two matchups. North Pike defeated the Lady Cougars by a larger margin, however, thus claiming the division title and the right to host an opening-round series in the 4A playoffs.

The Lady Cougars scored two in the first, courtesy of a Madison Hyde double and a Tiera Collins in-the-park homerun, as the game was played on South Pike’s large baseball field. Collins added an RBI single in the second as LCHS stretched its lead to 6-0.

Lawrence County put the game away with a five-run third inning, then tallied three runs on four consecutive singles in the fourth. The game was mercifully halted after South Pike was retired in the bottom of the fourth.

Collins led the Lady Cougars with three hits. Hyde, Lexie Johnson, Maddux Kirkand and Barri Rogers each got two hits. Callie Fortenberry, Jamie Martin, Cheyenne Long and Karli Bass also hit safely.

Rogers was her usual, consistent self on the mound, walking none in the four-inning game. The LCHS defense was also solid, as only three South Pike batters reached base.

Lawrence County will host the Bogue Chitto Lady Bobcats on Thursday night, with junior varsity action beginning at 5 p.m. The Bogue Chitto tournament is Saturday, with Lawrence County among the participating schools.