JACKSON — Mackenzie Harvey couldn’t escape the butterflies.
As an eighth-grader, she had imagined what it would be like to start for the New Hope High School varsity slow-pitch softball team in a state title series, but she didn’t realize it would feel like this when she finally earned her chance.
She also didn’t know her nerves would make even the simplest things — like catching an underhanded toss from pitcher Anna McCrary — so difficult.
But Harvey and the rest of the Lady Trojans showed Saturday they were up for the challenge and then some.
Harvey’s single in the bottom of the ninth scored Gabby Murray with the winning run in game one, and New Hope rode that momentum to a 7-6, 15-4 sweep of Picayune in the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 5A state title series at the V.A. Fields.
The victories helped New Hope (25-7) secure its fifth state championship in a row and the 14th in the program’s history. It was fitting that one of Mackenzie’s sisters, Kristen, was part of the crowd at the games to cheer on the Lady Trojans. Kristen, a third baseman, was a member of New Hope championship teams in 2003 and ’04 before she played a bigger role on state title teams in ’05, ’07, and ’08.
Keighly Harvey also was a member of New Hope’s championship tradition in 2002-06.
“I just wanted to do my best and wanted to win really bad,” Harvey said. “I got a lot of confidence from my teammates and a lot of support from my parents. I said, ‘I can do this.’ ”
New Hope coach Tabitha Beard tried to motivate Harvey in the fifth inning by shouting from her third-base coaching area, “We need you to step up.” Harvey lined out to shortstop with two runners on in that at-bat, but she responded with a single in the eighth and an even bigger hit the next inning.
Kasey Stanfield started the winning rally with a two-out single. Murray came on to pinch run for her and moved to second on a single by Anna McCrary. Harvey followed with a basehit — the team’s 17th of the game — to allow the Lady Trojans to let out a sigh of relief.
“It feels really good. I am excited for the seniors (McCrary and Ashley Byrd) because I know they wanted this really bad,” Harvey said. “Everyone cheered each other up and relied on each other. We’re a team, and we have to stay that way.”
Harvey received plenty of support from her teammates, parents, and Kristen. She said the pep talks and encouragement weren’t too much and didn’t get on her nerves — even when it came from her sister — and helped put her in the right frame of mind.
“She knows how it feels (to be in the state finals), and she just really helped,” said Harvey, who was on the junior varsity team last season.
Beard credited all of the Lady Trojans for playing key roles in a season in which numerous lineups and combinations were used. Saturday was just another example, as Beard admitted she had two lineups ready for the first game. One had Harvey as the starting catcher. The other version had Taylor Blevins in that spot. Beard wasn’t sure which one to go with because Harvey suffered a high ankle sprain just before the start of playoffs and she wasn’t certain Harvey would be able to go. She said she was going to make her decision based on which hitter did better in warmups, and then she still couldn’t make up her mind.
“She really stepped up big,” Beard said. “I knew she could. She did really well. I am proud of her and all of them.”
In addition, junior R.J. James, who hadn’t started until game two of the Class 5A North State title series against Neshoba Central, earned the nod in the outfield. James went 4-for-4, prompting Beard to say it all added up to just another example of the Lady Trojans’ team approach.
“Our lineup changed so much throughout the year and it took so many girls being selfless, being committed, and wanting what was best for this team,” Beard said. “It was awesome.”
New Hope poured it on in game two. Unlike last year, the Lady Trojans didn’t have to wait long between games. In 2010, New Hope lost its momentum following a 6-4 win against Picayune in game one. It then had to rally in the final at-bat for a 6-5 victory.
On Saturday, New Hope scored five runs on six hits in the top of the first to seize the energy. The Lady Trojans tacked on three more runs on four hits to pull away and set the table for the mercy-rule clincher in the fifth inning.
Kaitlin Bradley, Lauren Holifield, and Kasey Stanfield (three RBIs) led the 19-hit attack with three hits apiece. Harvey (four RBIs), Ashley Reed (three RBIs), and Abby Wilson each had two hits.
“This whole year has been a roller coaster. It is just fitting that today was one as well,” Beard said. “We have had ups and downs all year, but these girls have worked so hard, and it took so many people.
“We were rocks today. We had every reason to be jelly beans in that first game, but we weren’t. We were rocks.”
Picayune (18-8) lost its second straight Class 5A state title series to New Hope. Picayune coach Kristi Mitchell said not too many teams — except New Hope — make it to the state championship four times in eight years. She said the team, which loses five seniors, will work hard to get back to Jackson again next season to see if it can end New Hope’s run. She also credited the Lady Trojans for having a tradition-rich program that reloads to maintain its elite level.
“She has girls that I believe are playing softball all year long,” Mitchell said. “I have about five who play softball all year long. I have a team full of athletes that play softball. I think their experience has a lot to do (with program’s success).”
Neither team seized the momentum in game one. Picayune made 20 of its outs on pop ups or flyballs, while New Hope made 15. Both teams fell into the trap most teams succumb to at the V.A. Fields: They tried to power the ball past outfielders stationed at the midpoint of the grass, well in front of the 300-foot fence.
D.J. Sanders’ three-run, inside-the-park home run gave New Hope a 5-2 lead in the third inning. The Lady Trojans took a 6-5 lead in the fifth on an RBI single by Kasey Stanfield. They capitalized on two errors to start the inning. A bobble by the left fielder on Stanfield’s hit gave D.J. Sanders just enough time to score without a throw.
Picayune tied the game at 6 in the sixth. Jennifer Walker’s triple eluded James in right-center field. She scored on a one-out sacrifice fly by Alyssa Scott. Sahara Wilson and Nala Carter followed with hits to put runners on third and second, but Ashley Bridges popped out to end the threat.
New Hope had the best chance in extra innings to put the game away in the eighth. Harvey singled and was lifted for pinch runner Murray. Erin Stanfield followed with a single and was pinch run for with Savannah Britt. A fielder’s choice by Reed erased Murray at third base. Pinch hitter Aryn Prier lined to second baseman Carter before James blooped a single down the left-field line. Britt rounded third but didn’t get a good enough jump from second base and didn’t try to score. Bradley flew out to right-center field to end the inning.
Beard admitted she “messed up” by not sending the runner from third. She admitted to being a little “gun shy” after pinch runner Taylor Blevins was thrown out at home in the third inning. But she praised her players, especially Harvey and James, for overcoming the nerves at the start and for showing the poise Lady Trojans have flashed 14 times in turning butterflies to rocks and in taking championship hardware back to Columbus.
“When we’re in fire and things happen we want to be rocks,” Beard said. “That is what they all were. They did what they had to do when they had to do it.”
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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