VICKSBURG — A three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning proved to be the game-winning hit as the Warren Central Lady Vikings held on for a 4-3 win over the Cathedral Lady Green Wave Thursday afternoon.

“It was an excellent game,” Cathedral head coach Pam Clayton said. “Our hitting has finally come around. This is exactly what we need. They didn’t give us anything. We had to work hard for every hit. We didn’t give up.”

Cathedral (4-4) scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning to cut the lead to one run, but could not get the big hit needed to tie or win the game. The Lady Green Wave out-hit the Lady Vikings 11 to six, but the Lady Vikings’ experience proved to be a big factor.

“They have eight seniors and seven juniors,” Clayton said. “On my roster, I have three juniors and only one was active. The rest of my team is 10th- and ninth-graders. The errors were kept to a minimum. I was very pleased.”

Warren Central scored one run in the bottom of the first inning and the score remained at 1-0 until Cathedral tied the score in the top of the fifth inning. But Johnson’s home run in the Lady Vikings’ half of the fifth proved to be huge.

Mae Durkin went 3-for-4 with a double and pitcher Rachel Smilo went 3-for-3 to lead the Lady Green Wave at the plate.

Franklin County 10, Hazlehurst 7

HAZLEHURST — The Franklin County Lady Dawgs moved into a first-place tie with the Hazlehurst Lady Indians after rallying in the top of the seventh inning to take a 10-7 win Thursday afternoon in Region 6-3A action.

By virtue of Franklin County’s three-run win, the Lady Dawgs (10-5, 3-1) moved into a deadlock tie with Hazlehurst with the run differential. The Lady Indians defeated the Lady Dawgs on the road by three runs earlier in the season.

Hazlehurst scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 7-5 lead, but the Lady Indians couldn’t hold on to the lead an inning and a half later.

With the bases loaded, KeKe Collins singled to score Taylor Stewart. Kristen Oglesby then singled to bring in Shaniquia Cameron to tie the game at 7-7. Monea Cameron’s sacrifice fly scored Jennifer Thornton to give the Lady Dawgs the lead for good at 8-7, but they weren’t done yet.

Kacey Smith hit a single that brought in Collins and Desiree Buie’s sacrifice fly scored Oglesby for a 10-7 lead.

“We told the girls just to be patient and pick out one (pitch),” Franklin County head coach Dana Smith said. “Patience is what scored two of those runs. The girls did not quit.”

Heather Havard then did her job by holding Hazelhurst scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win.