The Hancock Hawks secured their fifth straight victory with a commanding 14-5 win over the Pascagoula Panthers on Thursday at Pascagoula in the second game of their Region 4-6A series.
Hancock improved to 10-6 overall and Pascagoula fell to 6-10.
The Hawks and the Panthers are set to face off once again on Saturday in the third and final game of the series. Hancock leads the series 2-0 and is 6-0 in the region. Pascagoula is 0-5 in the region.
Hancock took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning on Thursday, courtesy of a sacrifice bunt by Brandon Arcement and an RBI double by Jaxon Knight.
Pascagoula responded in the bottom of the third on a sacrifice fly by Griffin Wells.
The Panthers gained momentum in the next inning, taking a 3-2 lead behind an infield error and Tank Bishop’s RBI single.
Hancock rallied in the top of the fifth as Landon Shields delivered two runs on a single, reclaiming the lead for the Hawks. A six-run surge ensued, extending Hancock’s lead to 8-3 fueled by an error, a walk, and two wild pitches.
Pascagoula fought back in the bottom of the fifth, narrowing the deficit to 8-4 with a run scored on a wild pitch. Despite a missed opportunity to trim further into the lead, leaving two runners in scoring position, the Panthers couldn’t stave off Hancock.
The Hawks continued to dominate, adding a run in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch.
In the final inning, Hancock solidified its lead at 14-4 with five runs, capitalizing on three walks, a wild pitch, and Jude Ulrich’s RBI single.
Pascagoula scored its final run on an infield error in the bottom of the seventh.
Arcement, Hancock’s starting pitcher, delivered a solid four-inning performance, tallying five strikeouts while allowing three hits and three runs. Ayden Howard contributed to the Hawks’ success with three innings pitched and five strikeouts.
Jeffery Hopgood and Shields each delivered three hits for Hancock.
Hopgood displayed his consistency at the plate with three singles in five at-bats and Shields had three singles and two RBIs.
Braden Smith hit two singles for the Panthers and Wells had a single and an RBI.
