Munford baseball ends 13-year state tournament drought

Thirteen years ago, Scotty Yount and Jeff Munier were assistant baseball coaches at Olive Branch. Coincidentally, 2004 was the last time Munford made a state baseball tournament.

And now the Cougars are going back to the 'Boro after Yount's starter Corey Simmons held his good friend's team Collierville to just two hits in a 6-0 AAA sectional victory Friday at Munford.

"We've talked about one day what it would be like to maybe play each other with a chance to go to the state tournament," Yount said. "I think probably most people thought it would be Collierville."

The perception may be in part due to Munford's 21-16 record. But — as Yount points out — the Cougars "ran through a gauntlet" that should make them very competitive when the tournament gets under way Tuesday.

"I knew we had the talent to work with," said Yount, who is in his first season after coaching Bolton last year.

"It was just a matter of building relationships ... (and) putting things together. I think the past three weeks, it's all started to come together."

The Cougars will be joined at state by another team without a gaudy record but plenty of talent after Region 8 champion Houston eliminated Dyer County Friday, 14-5.

Barrone Porter homered twice, doubled and drove in four runs to lead the Mustangs, who like Munford have played a rugged schedule. Eliezer Bueno drove in a pair of runs.

In Division II-AA, CBHS' season came to an end with a 4-2 loss to top-seeded Pope John Paul II in the deciding Game 3 at Giacosa Field.

Local trio advances in DII-A soccer

Just call next week's Division II-A state soccer tournament the Shelby County Classic as ECS, Lausanne and St. George's all advanced to the final four.

At ECS, Matthew Hunt and Max Pleban each scored within the first 10 minutes as the West Region champion Eagles held off Battle Ground Academy, 2-1. Lausanne, which lost to ECS in the region final, got four goals from Kelvin Borges and two from Lucas Drumond in a 6-2 victory over Franklin Road Academy. The Lynx will take a 16-2-2 record into the tournament.

St. George's led host University School of Nashville 5-2 early in the second half before hanging on for a 5-4 victory. 

The DII-A semifinals take place Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Siegel Soccer Park.

Brighton softball advances

Marisa Moss allowed just one hit while improving to 17-4 and Region 7 champ Brighton scored in every inning to mercy-rule White Station, 11-0, and advance to the AAA tournament.

Softball competition gets under way at the Murfreesboro Sports Complex and McKnight Fields.

Reach John Varlas at john.varlas@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @johnvarlas.