Gulfport’s Nico Williams threw a no-hitter at Biloxi on Tuesday night, but the Indians’ continued use of small ball paid off again as they squeaked out a 1-0 win over their longtime rivals in the opener of a three-game Region 4-7A series.
Biloxi’s Tristan Haynes led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a walk. Forrest Wold bunted back to Williams, who threw to first for the out. The throw was high, and Gulfport first baseman Javin Childres had to jump and get the throw to tag out Wold before he hit the base. Haynes, on the hustle, ended up at third and scored the only run of the game on a passed ball.
“That was a huge play for us at that moment,” said Biloxi coach Hawtin Buchanan “Their ace was really good tonight and did a great job of locating everything. We were fortunate that we had an inning where a couple of things broke our way and were able to scratch a run across. Now we’ve got to turn around, get back to work, and get ready for the challenge of being ready to go compete at their place Thursday night.”
It was an old-school pitchers’ duel from the jump as Logan Fontenelle joined Williams with an outstanding pitching performance of his own, scattering five hits, striking out nine, and giving up no runs to get the win.
Gulfport made some noise trying to tie the game in an intense final inning. With one out, Williams earned a walk and Davis Ormes was hit by a pitch. After Fontenelle struck out the next batter, Childres got an infield hit to shortstop and everyone was safe. Then, with the bases loaded and the game on the line, Fontenelle got his final strikeout to end the game.
“I could not be more proud of how Logan went out there and competed tonight,” said Buchanan. “That was probably his sharpest outing ever in a Biloxi uniform when it came to getting ahead in the count, locating multiple pitches and with how well the ball was coming out of his hand.”
Even with Williams pitching a no-hitter and recording seven strikeouts, Admirals coach Jamie McMahon was equally impressed with Fontenelle.
“It was a well-pitched game by both guys,” he said. “Nico was great on the bump throwing a no-hitter. He was locked in. This is the first game I have coached where we throw a no-hitter and lose. We didn’t make any errors, which is always good on the defensive side. We just have to find a way to score but give their guy credit. He pitched well also, and we just couldn’t get the big hit in situations with runners in scoring position.”
Gulfport center fielder and leadoff hitter Ethan Garner started the game beating out an infield single and moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by Prince Cottonham. But he was left stranded when Fontenelle got the next two Admirals to fly out. Garner led the Admirals with two hits on the night.
Williams helped himself out in the bottom of the second inning. After getting the first two batters out, he walked Will Parker, who advanced on a passed ball and then Williams walked Chase DeLaughter. On a 3-1 count, Williams picked off DeLaughter out at first to end the inning.
Biloxi returned the favor in the fourth inning. Cottonham reached on a hard single to third base but was doubled up when Ethan Surowiec laced a ball right back to Fontenelle, who threw to first for the double play. Then Williams singled and was later picked off by Fontenelle to end the inning.
Biloxi got into the region win column after it was swept by Ocean Springs last week.
“It’s obviously big to win Game 1 of a series,” said Buchanan. “But this was especially big after coming off a tough week against Ocean Springs and then facing a good team like Gulfport.”
The Indians and Admirals will play in Gulfport on Thursday night before ending the series on Friday night back in Biloxi.
