Matt Vines

STONEWALL – Upset-minded Cecilia put pressure on North DeSoto by loading the bases in the first inning of Monday’s second-round playoff matchup.

After pitcher Laney Johnson got out of that pickle with a ground out, she held No. 16 Cecilia to just one baserunner from there as the No. 1 seed Lady Griffins cruised to a 9-0 win.

Johnson struck out 11 with two hits and two walks in the win, retiring 17 of the last 18 batters she faced.

North DeSoto’s offense solved Cecilia pitcher Kenlee Etienne in the second time through the lineup, scoring nine runs combined in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

The Lady Griffins’ four-run third inning started with two outs, but Raegan Henderson and Payton Miller singles led to a Maddie Stringer three-run home run. Johnson added her bat to the fray by homering after Stringer in back-to-back fashion to snatch a 4-0 lead.

Mia Norwood smashed an RBI double followed by a Miller RBI single in the fourth inning to go up 6-0.

Norwood clubbed a two-run home run to cap the scoring after a Regan Dalvin RBI single in the fifth inning.

Miller went 3-for-4 with Norwood (2-for-4) and Stringer (1-for-2) each contributing three RBIs. Stringer reached base three times with a pair of walks.

North DeSoto (28-4) awaits the winner of No. 8 Jennings and No. 9 Iota, who play Wednesday.