Earnest, Reeves give Hamilton a potent punch

HAMILTON — Part of the beauty of sports can be found in the numbers.

Some statistics are hard to comprehend, regardless of how many times you look at them.

Chase Reeves still finds it difficult to believe he owns one of those numbers: Zero.

The junior left-hander has allowed 11 runs this season — all unearned.

West Lowndes’ Malone signs to play baseball at Coahoma

Sometimes, for whatever reason, players who appear to have an unlimited upside go unnoticed.

Devin Malone is one of those players.

The West Lowndes High School senior showcased his skills on the court earlier this year as he helped lead the school’s boys basketball team to the Class 1A state tournament in Jackson.

Malone hopes to play a similar role with the West Lowndes High’s baseball team.

Caledonia’s Hackman sprints from standing position

CALEDONIA — Jelisha Hackman has explosion.

Typically, though, when you compete in the 100 meters you’re pushing off a block fastened to the track at the start of a race.

Hackman’s propulsion in the sprint comes from a standing start, in part because of the lack of track and field facilities at Caledonia High School.

But Hackman, just like many of her teammates, has learned to live and to succeed with what she doesn’t have.

MSMS tennis team two steps from winning state championship

Sindhu Shivaji knew she could believe Zachary Patterson.

After all, it’s easy to listen to someone who has won a state championship.

So when senior Zachary Patterson said at the beginning of the season that the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science tennis team could be “awesome,” Shivaji knew she had to do her part to make that goal a reality.

Gymnastics help Byrd find her niche in life

Mallory Byrd likes to move.

To satisfy her daughter, Val Byrd signed Mallory up to participate in dance classes so she could learn ballet, tap, and jazz steps.

She quickly discovered Mallory needed a certain kind of movement.

“It wasn’t her thing,” Val Byrd said of the dance classes.

It wasn’t difficult for the Byrds to find an alternative.

Mallory’s love for watching Olympic gymnastics turned out to be the motivation to get involved in the high-speed, high-flying sport.

Columbus High enjoying hard-hitting spring

The Columbus High School assistant football coaches already are in midseason form.

The CHS players are doing their part to join them.

Judging from the players’ performance Friday in an intrasquad scrimmage, the Falcons have made the most of their offseason workouts and are attacking spring football with enthusiasm.

New Hope baseball building on regular season

Philip Tice doesn’t hesitate when asked what qualities make a clutch hitter.

“Confidence,” Tice said.

In his first year as a varsity starter, Tice is showing confidence beyond his years.

EMCC’s Larkin qualifies for NJCAA National Championship

A fast start Monday on day one of the 2009 NJCAA Region 23 Golf Championship proved to be elusive for Hal Larkin.

Birdies on three of the first five holes gave the former Caledonia High School golf standout reason to believe he could secure a trip to the NJCAA National Championship.

But Larkin’s early momentum evaporated.

Columbus’ Barry will have double fun at EMCC

Nashedra Barry likes to stay busy.

In addition to the time she spends with the Columbus High School girls basketball and slow- and fast-pitch softball teams, the senior standout is involved in a host of clubs and other extra-curricular activities.

Williams registers knockout in pro martial arts debut

Jason Williams’ professional mixed martial arts career is off to a rousing start.

The Columbus native knocked out Roy Davis 10 seconds into round one of their fight Thursday at the Gladiator Challenge at the Pauma Casino in Pauma Valley, Calif.

Williams saw an opening for the knockout after Davis threw a left-handed punch. He said he was surprised Davis was going to try to stand with him and punch, and he countered with a left hand.

New Hope baseball team sweeps playoff series

Some players would have lost focus the moment they didn’t get the job done.

But when you have been locked in at the plate like Philip Tice has been this season, no situation is too overwhelming.

Stuck in an 0-2 hole after missing two bunt attempts, Tice lined a two-run triple down the right-field line Friday night to lift the New Hope High School baseball team to a 7-6 victory against Pontotoc in game two of its Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A second-round best-of-three playoff series at Trojan Field.

Hamilton softball team prevails as best in the North

HAMILTON — A bloop proved to be just the spark the Hamilton High School fast-pitch softball team needed.

Katie Beth Dahlem’s bloop single paved the way for key hits by Miranda McCormick and Kelle West in the bottom of the sixth inning Saturday afternoon and helped Hamilton defeat Hatley 7-6 in game two of the Class 2A North State best-of-three state playoff series.

With the victory, Hamilton (15-10) advances to the Class 2A best-of-three state title series Friday to play the winner of Enterprise and Loyd Star at Freedom Ridge State Park in Ridgeland.

Halterman pitches no-hitter for East Webster softball team

MABEN — Jessica Halterman didn’t need to make any adjustments Saturday.

One game after hurling a complete-game, four-hitter, the East Webster senior was even more dominating — and nearly perfect.

Halterman pitched a no-hitter, struck out 14, and allowed only four baserunners to lead East Webster to a 7-0 victory against Bogue Chitto in game two of its Class A South State best-of-three state title series.

Heritage golf team plays North tournament on home course

Will Swedenburg wants to do more at 10 a.m. Monday than help the Heritage Academy golf team just qualify for the Mississippi Private School Association Class AAA State Tournament.

Playing on their home course at Columbus Country Club, Swedenburg and his Heritage Academy golf teammates feel they have a shot to challenge Pillow Academy and the rest of the top teams at the North AAA Tournament.

Heritage salvages split with Starkville Academy

The beauty of the game of baseball is you will see something different every day if you watch enough games.

The Starkville Academy and Heritage Academy baseball teams did their best Thursday night to ensure all the fans at Trip Carson Field doubled their pleasure and saw plenty of things they might never see again.

At 11:08 p.m., more than six hours after the first pitch of game one, Cole Vaughan retired Jim Beasley on a fielder’s choice to help Heritage Academy earn a 12-10 victory in game two and salvage a split of their doubleheader.

Caledonia’s Gonzalez perseveres in pole vault

CALEDONIA — Stephanie Gonzalez started pole vaulting in less than ideal circumstances.

The then-Caledonia High School sophomore ran on grass and fell into a pole vault pit made up of mattresses.

She probably still has the scrapes on her legs from the experience.

Hamilton’s Winders, Crouch provide spark

HAMILTON — Isaac Winders has given up basketball, at least for the next month.

New Hope’s Hester suspended for three days

New Hope High School baseball coach Stacy Hester was suspended Wednesday for three days and will miss his team’s Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A second-round playoff series against Pontotoc.

New Hope baseball team grows stronger

Hilton Gibson and the New Hope High School baseball team haven’t had a perfect season.

Routine plays haven’t been made, pitchers have missed locations, and hitters haven’t delivered in clutch situations.

In many ways, New Hope’s season hasn’t been any different than countless other teams across the nation.

But what the Trojans haven’t done has made them stronger.

Liggins emerges as East Webster leader

MABEN — Jermaine Liggins’ nickname doesn’t do him justice.

Growing up, Liggins earned the moniker “half pint” because of his size.

Liggins has matured into a senior leader for the East Webster High School baseball team, and the ping of the baseball off his bat sounds more like someone nicknamed “pint.”

Liggins and classmates Blake Love and Reggie O’Briant are just three of the hard-hitting Wolverines who will lead the team Thursday into its best-of-three Class 1A playoff series against Bogue Chitto.