From

staff reports

SULPHUR, La. &045; Now Vidalia head coach Gary Paul Parnham can be honest: his team’s hitting isn’t that bad.

His Lady Vikings came through at the plate twice Saturday and rode the hot arm of Miranda Doughty to knock off Vermilion Catholic and South Beauregard to win the school’s first Class 2A state championship Saturday in Sulphur.

Vidalia downed VC 2-0 in the afternoon game and followed it with a 4-0 win over South Beauregard in the nightcap to win it all.

&uot;I think I’m still numb,&uot; Parnham said. &uot;I don’t know if the girls realize what they did, but I don’t think anybody thought Vidalia High School could win a state championship. I’m at a loss for words, really. I’m just proud of all my kids and my seniors especially. I told them after the game they set a record that can’t be broken and can only be tied. That’s winning a state championship.&uot;

The Lady Vikings (25-6-1) stayed with Doughty on the mound in both games after she threw a shutout Friday in the 1-0 win over defending state champion Riverside. So as an encore she allowed six hits in the win over VC and just two in the win over South Beauregard.

She struck out a combined 14 batters.

&uot;Miranda Doughty has been one of the best pitchers in this state,&uot; Parnham said. &uot;I can tell you that right now she’s tough to hit. She showed everybody down here what she was made of. She pitched out of trouble. I don’t remember a runner getting to third base. I’m tickled to death at how she performed, and she’s been doing it all year long for us.&uot;

Doughty had plenty of room to work after the Lady Vikings scored three runs in the first inning off Lady K’s starter Holly Eades, who was lifted after the first for Lori Ross. Heather Miller reached on an error, and Jenny Watson singled to before a Doughty sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third.

Jaci DeWeese followed with a double to score Miller and Watson, and Christy Corley’s sacrifice fly scored DeWeese for the 3-0 lead.

The Lady Vikings were on the verge of breaking it open in the sixth when they loaded the bases with no outs. DeWeese singled, went to second on a bunt from Corley and to third on an Ashley Prince single.

Then three straight fielders’ choices followed, and DeWeese scored for the 4-0 lead thanks to another timely hit.

&uot;I’m always complaining about our hitting, but we don’t hit that bad,&uot; Parnham said. &uot;In the state tournament we turned it around. We struck out one time in the state championship game.&uot;