Malones help West Lowndes outlast Caledonia

Lil’ Wayne and Lump proved to be a difficult tandem to contain Thursday night.

It’s a good thing, too, because the Caledonia and West Lowndes High School baseball teams could have played all night.

Better known as Demetrius and Devin Malone, the Panthers played key roles in the bottom of the ninth inning to help West Lowndes earn a 5-4 victory.

Lady Bulldogs set bar higher for next season

The bar has been set higher.

The Mississippi State women’s basketball team’s mission for the 2009-10 season is to live up to those standards.

“It will be up to them,” MSU coach Sharon Fanning said Thursday.

The Lady Bulldogs will begin individual workouts next week that they hope will help set the tone for next season.

That season has the potential to be the best in the program’s history, not just in victories but in the deepest move into the NCAA tournament.

‘Game of Change’ celebrates Bulldogs, Ramblers

STARKVILLE — March Madness ended early for the Mississippi State basketball teams.

But Jerald Harkness was in Starkville on Tuesday to celebrate the spirit and the history of the MSU men’s basketball program and the NCAA tournament.

Rebels ready to move forward

It’s time to move on.

As much as University of Mississippi football coach Houston Nutt would love to enjoy the fruits of a 9-4 season that ended with a six-game winning streak and a victory against Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl, he’s ready for another ride.

Vaughan escapes trouble to pitch Heritage to win

WEST POINT — The ability to work out of trouble is essential for any pitcher.

Sometimes that trouble materializes after a bloop single or an error.

Other times, an ill-timed walk quickly can put a pitcher in a jam that is difficult to escape.

Cole Vaughan showed Tuesday afternoon he’s capable of living dangerously and then finding a way to avoid the big inning.

Vaughan scattered six hits in a complete-game effort to help the Heritage Academy baseball team defeat Oak Hill Academy 6-3.

Lady Bulldogs already looking ahead

Sharon Fanning already is thinking about the 2009-10 season.

One of the first jobs Fanning took to prepare for next season was to watch Mississippi State’s 64-58 loss to Ohio State in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Monday again.

The veteran MSU coach knew the outcome wasn’t going to change. She also knew her confidence in her players wasn’t going to diminish one bit.

New approach helps Heritage Academy’s Braddock

Austin Braddock is branching out to all fields.

Always considered a dead pull hitter, Braddock has discovered this season that hitting is a lot easier when you change your approach at the plate.

MSU looks to respond to another challenge

Sharon Fanning has talked all season about responding to challenges.

The Mississippi State women’s basketball team discovered Saturday there was no better time than tied at 59 with less than two minutes remaining in its first NCAA tournament game in six years to punch back.

The Lady Bulldogs delivered a knockout blow many have been waiting for all season.

Hollivay invited to Nike Skills Academy

Rachel Hollivay’s circle of basketball contacts is growing.

The New Hope High School freshman on Wednesday received an invitation to attend the Nike Girls Regional Skills Academy event at Norcross High School in Atlanta on April 25-26.

Ole Miss hosts Murray State in WNIT

Renee Ladner hoped a loss to Auburn in the Southeastern Conference tournament earlier this month wasn’t the end to her team’s season.

The University of Mississippi coach learned Monday that the Lady Rebels will play at least one more game.

Trouble is, Ole Miss didn’t find out until Friday night who and where they were playing.

Murray State defeated Arkansas-Little Rock 67-65 in a first-round game at the Jack Stephens Center in Little Rock, Ark. The victory means Murray State (23-8) will play at Ole Miss (17-14) at 4 p.m. today.

Lumanu, Mokango key ingredients for Lady Bulldogs

STARKVILLE — Armelie Lumanu trudged out of the team’s locker room following a loss to LSU in the Southeastern Conference tournament in North Little Rock, Ark.

Lumanu’s body language was in stark contrast to the emotion and energy she exhibited in the second half.

With less than eight minutes remaining, Lumanu stole the basketball near midcourt and was fouled seconds later.

Sykes, Rutgers continue up, down season

April Sykes’ transformation into a Division I basketball player will continue Saturday in the NCAA tournament.

Sykes and the No. 7 seed Rutgers Lady Scarlet Knights (19-12) will take on No. 10 seed Virginia Commonwealth (26-6) at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the Louis Brown Athletic Center in Piscataway, N.J.

It’s not surprising Rutgers, which went 9-7 in the Big East Conference, is in the NCAA tournament.

Wood signs soccer scholarship with EMCC

Seth Wood didn’t want to make the wrong choice.

As much as he was interested in accepting a scholarship to play soccer at Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Ark., Wood realized the school really didn’t have a field of study that suited him.

Wood didn’t eliminate Williams Baptist, but he decided to finish his high school soccer season and what other offers came his way.

When Wood received a call from East Mississippi Community College men’s soccer coach Junior Noel, he had a feeling he had found his destination.