BY GEORGE MAHL – Sports Editor

LUTCHER – The Lutcher Lady Bulldogs had defeated the Berwick Lady Panthers recently. However, those victories meant nothing as the two played again with much more one the line last Saturday.

Berwick jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the top of the fifth and cruised the rest of the way as they knocked off Lutcher, 11-5.

The victory moves the Lady Panthers to the state tournament in Sulphur, which begins on Friday.

Mandy Verrett threw five strong innings for Berwick and picked up the victory, while Lutcher starter Amanda Louque took the loss for the Lady Bulldogs.

Verrett only gave up three hits while during the innings she pitched.

Berwick jumped out to a quick 2-0 in the top of the first. With one out, Verrett singled and scored when right-fielder Courtney Phillips smashed a homerun to left with one out.

In the bottom of the first, the Lady Bulldogs got two runs to tie the game. After Joyce Gravois walked and stole second, Verrett hit the next two betters, Katie Duhe and Brittany Ocmand, to load the bases. A single by Jenna Whitlow scored Duhe and Ocmand.

The top of the second saw Berwick take a 3-2. A double by Elizabeth Morvant put her on a second with no outs. A single by Whitney Roan score Morvant from second base.

Over the next three innigs, Verrett was dominating. She did not allow a hit and only allowed one baserunner.

The top of the third saw Berwick get two more runs. After Verrett reached first on an error, she moved to third on a single from Lianne Albert and scored on a double courtesy of Lindsey Davis. Louque retired the next two batters she faced, leaving Davis stranded at third.

The Lady Panthers went deep again in the top of the fifth. With Lianne Albert on second with a double, Davis smashed a homerun, giving Berwick a five-run lead.

The bottom of the fifth saw the Lady Bulldogs score two runs to trim the deficit to 7-4. After reaching first base ona hit, Gravois moved to second on an error and scored on a single from Ocmand. A passed ball allowed Brandi Keller to score the second run of the inning.

Lutcher would get one more run in the game.

In the bottom of the sixth, Amanda Waguespack hit an inside-the-park homerun with one out.

In all, Berwick pounded out 11 runs on 18 hits, while Lutcher finished with five runs on four hits. Lutcher committed one error and Berwick had three.