LIBERTY — Sherrie Daniel’s single scored Amber Addington in the bottom of the fourth inning for what proved to be the game-winning run. The Centreville Academy Lady Tigers defeated Amite School Center 5-4 Saturday night.

Addington started the bottom of the fourth with a singled, then stole second base and stole third base before being brought in by Daniel with her RBI single.

Centreville Academy went 4-0 to claim the MPSA Class AA South State Championship and will now play in the Class AA State Tournament for the first time in three years when it takes on North State No. 4 seed Winston Academy Wednesday at 9 a.m. at Freedom Ridge Park in Ridgeland.

“It was very competitive. They’ve been beat up the last half of the season. They came out with a little incentive and a little fire,” Centreville head coach Mark Mann said about the Lady Rebels. “They’re getting back to full strength.”

But the Lady Tigers, led by seniors Addington, Amber Brown and twin sisters Emily and Erin Gaulden, would not be denied of the South State title. Even though winning pitcher Emily Gaulden didn’t pitch her best game, she battled against a tough ASC lineup.

“My seniors stepped up,” Mann said. “They’ve carried us most of the year. They keep everybody calm. They are our corner posts. They keep the younger players calm. They don’t panic.”

Amite School Center dropped to the losers’ bracket after losing to Columbia Academy 4-2 last Wednesday afternoon. After trouncing River Oaks 15-6 that same day to stay alive, the Lady Rebels had to win three straight games to advance to the championship game.

“I take my hat off to ASC. They had to come through the losers’ bracket. They had to beat Prairie View, Bowling Green and Columbia. They had a tremendous effort in those three games.”

Centreville (27-7) jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but Amite School Center tied the score at 3-3 in the top of the third inning. The Lady Tigers retook the lead with one run in their half of the third, but the Lady Rebels answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth.

The Lady Tigers advanced to the title game with a 3-0 win over the Columbia Academy Lady Cougars. Emily Gaulden pitched a complete-game one-hitter and struck out eight batters.

Erin Gaulden doubled in Daniel to give Centreville a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. Courtesy runner Katie Berry then came in and went to second on a single by Emily Gaulden. A double steal put runners on second and third. Courtesy runner Kristen Lee ran for Emily Gaulden and both Berry and Lee scored on a single by Katie Vine.