OAK GROVE, La. — Led by the pitching of Melissa McFarland and the hitting of Monea Cameron, the Ferriday Dixie Debs 16-18-year-old All-Stars defeated West Carroll 5-0 Friday night to win the district championship.

McFarland was sensational on the mound for the Dixie Debs as she threw a complete-game one-hitter and struck out seven.

“She did an excellent job tonight. Worked the corners in and out,” Dixie Debs head coach Dana Smith said. “Good way for her to go out in the playoffs.”

Cameron scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning and provided the big hit with a grand slam home run in the bottom of the second. She also had a double and a single to finish 3-for-3. Casey Smith and Taylor Stewart each went 2-for-3.

Even though Ferriday had 10 hits in the game, Smith said the team didn’t hit the ball as well as it had during the tournament and left too many runners on base. However, she added that the hits the Dixie Debs got were timely hits.

“It’s a good group of girls with great attitudes,” Smith said. “I’m very proud of our defense as well.”

Next up for the Ferriday Dixie Debs is the state tournament in West Monroe, La. The opening ceremonies will be next Friday and the games start next Saturday.

Ferriday Dixie Belles win District 5 Tournament

OAK GROVE, La. — Thanks to an error by Winnsboro’s centerfielder, Ginny Daggett scored from third base in the top of the seventh inning to give the Ferriday Dixie Belles a 2-1 win and the district championship.

Daggett led off with a stand-up triple and scored what turned out to be the game-winning run when a fly ball hit by Sanders was dropped by the centerfielder. Heidi Thornton held Winnsboro scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to earn the save.

The Ferriday Dixie Belles will next play in the state tournament in Pineville, La., which begins next Saturday.

Thornton started off the game on the mound for Ferriday and pitched two scoreless innings. Sanders then came on and, after pitching a scoreless third inning, walked two batters and was relieved by Ellen Bairnsfather, who wound up being the winning pitcher. Winnsboro broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth and took a 1-0 into the top of the fifth.

“Bairnsfather pitched three innings before I took her out because if I had pitched her into the seventh and we would have lost, she would not have been eligible to pitch the second game,” Dixie Belles head coach Rut Horne said.

Ferriday tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth. Desiree Buie hit a one-out single and went to third when Thornton laid down a bunt single. Taylor Morace then laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Buie.

“Our pitching staff of Thornton, Sanders and Bairnsfather did a superb job in the tournament,” Horne said. “In no game did they give up more than three hits. Winnsboro had three hits.”

Ferriday Ponytails finish third at District Tournament

OAK GROVE, La. — The Ferriday Ponytails’ run to the district championship ended Friday night with a 14-3 loss to West Carroll as they finished in third place in the nine-team tournament.

“Couldn’t be prouder of a bunch of girls in my life,” Ponytails head coach Tommy Milligan said. “We were the youngest team here. Every team was full of 11- and 12-year-olds. We had three 10-year-olds.”

Maggie Ray went 2-for-2 and Taylor Perkins was 1-for-2 for the Ponytails.

“These parents made a choice to drive to Ferriday to play fast-pitch league softball. These are the rewards for what they’ve done,” Milligan said. “We’re looking forward to next year already in Ferriday.”