The Poplarville Hornets scored runs in six innings and erupted for eight runs in the top of the seventh to cruise to a 17-7 victory over the Moss Point Tigers on Monday night in Game 1 of their three-game Region 8-4A series.
The teams will meet again Friday night in Poplarville in Game 2. The teams played in Gautier as Moss Point’s field was destroyed by the tornado that struck the city last summer.
Poplarville improved to 9-9 overall and 4-1 in the region. Moss Point fell to 1-12 and 0-3.
Poplarville led 4-3 after two innings and increased the margin to 7-3 at the end of four.
The teams each scored two runs in the next two innings before the eight-run explosion in the seventh effectively put the game out of reach.
“We had a slow start, but as we got into it, we were able to take advantage of a few mistakes Moss Point made and capitalized on them. (After that) we settled down on the mound to finish the game,” Poplarville coach Ashley Graeter said.
Poplarville totaled 10 hits in the game with Tyler Keys, Cruze Sheppard, Luke Sones, and Bradford Sones getting two hits apiece. Emile Pace and Keys each had doubles.
Braden Babiowski pitched four and a third innings to get the win. He allowed four earned runs, struck out eight and walked seven.
Leading Moss Point at the plate were Cameron Kelly with a double and two RBIs and Hunter Waltham with two hits, including a double. Jevont’e Keys added a triple.
Aiden Evans started on the hill for Moss Point and was touched for five hits and seven runs (two earned). He walked four and fanned three.
Moss Point coach Julius Bridges said he was proud of his players despite the outcome.
“Even though we were not able to get the desired result, my players’ performance in the fight tonight makes me proud,” he said. “We’ve faced a lot of hardship this year, so I’m glad to watch my kids persevere through it all every day.”
