Picayune advanced to the next round of the Class 6A baseball playoffs Saturday, completing a two-game series sweep of Hattiesburg with a 3-1 victory in Hattiesburg.
The Maroon Tide beat the Tigers 4-3 in a thrilling Game 1 on Friday that took 12 innings to complete.
With the game tied 1-1 Saturday, Brady Robertson and Landon Franklin had run-scoring singles to put the Maroon Tide on top in the sixth inning.
Robertson went the distance on the mound, allowing three hits and striking out three to get the win.
Talmadge Davis pitched a great game for the Tigers, fanning nine batters and allowing six hits over seven innings.
Morgan Craft gave Picayune a 1-0 lead in the first inning with an RBI single. The Tigers answered in the third with an RBI double by Joe Polk to tie the game at 1-1.
Kyler King had a couple of hits for the Maroon Tide.
Polk, Miles Prince, and Quentin Reuben each had a hit for the Tigers.
Tide coach Evan Nichelson said his team fought hard in both games.
“Our guys battled against a really scrappy team,” said Nichelson. “Great team wins. We had a lot of different guys contribute. I’m really proud of the way our guys stayed in the fight and found a way to win.”
Nichelson was especially proud of his pitching staff.
“Our arms were really good this week and gave us a chance to win,” said Nichelson.
In Friday’s dramatic opener, King hit a walk-off single in the 12th inning to give the Maroon Tide a 4-3 win.
The game was scoreless until the fifth inning, when Picayune took a 3-0 lead. King had an RBI single to put the Maroon Tide on the board. A bases-loaded hit by pitch forced in a run and Craft drove in the third run of the night on a sacrifice fly.
Hattiesburg then rallied in the seventh inning, scoring three runs with two outs.
A fielding error scored the first run for the Tigers. Prince then followed with a two-run single that tied the game at 3-3 and forced extra innings.
The game remained tied until the 12th inning, when Picayune loaded the bags on a walk, error, and intentional walk. King then stepped up and lined a hit to left to drive in the winning run.
Landon Watts earned the win in relief, allowing only one hit and no runs over the final four innings. Tanner Busby went eight strong innings, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out eight.
King drove in a couple of runs on three hits to lead Picayune at the plate while Craft had a couple of hits.
Bobo Barnes and Rod Page each had two hits for Hattiesburg while Prince drove in a pair of runs.
Picayune (21-7) will continue playoff action on Friday, May 3, when the Tide face rival Pearl River Central in a best-of-three series. The Blue Devils swept West Harrison to advance in the postseason.
Nichelson feels good about his team’s chances.
“Our guys are focused right now and the intent has been there all week,” said Nichelson. “I’m looking for that to continue and I think we are in a good spot.”
