BILOXI — Biloxi started the season by reeling off 12 straight wins, but the Indians came into Friday night’s tilt with visiting Pascagoula on a three-game losing streak.
The Indians, however, bounced back in fine fashion from their that sluggish stretch with a 3-0 shutout win over the Panthers at The Biloxi Sports Complex.
In other Class 6A interleague action Friday night, Ocean Springs traveled to the Kiln and nipped home-Standing Hancock 3-2 with a late-inning rally.
The Biloxi-Pascagoula contest turned into a defensive battle as both teams only recorded three hits apiece. Biloxi jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, with Logan Fontenelle’s RBI-double being the highlight of the inning.
The Panthers threatened the Indians’ lead in the top of the third inning, knocking two singles and working a walk to load the bases.
Even so, Biloxi held on to their 2-0 lead and maintained it before adding a run in the bottom of the sixth via Judson Byars’s sacrifice fly. The Indians held the Panthers scoreless in the top of the seventh to complete the 3-0 shutout.
Biloxi’s senior Bryson Pisarich got the win and dominated on the mound. He pitched a complete game while tallying 12 strikeouts and allowing only three hits. Pisarich retired seven straight batters through the top of the first, second, and third innings. Similarly, the senior pitcher retired nine straight in the top of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings. He also drove in a run at the plate.
Senior Braxton Jarrell also pitched well in Pascagoula’s losing effort. Through the bottom of the third, fourth, and fifth innings, he retired eight straight batters. Jarrell recorded six strikeouts with three hits allowed before being taken out in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Adrian Rosario had two of Pascagoula’s three hits in the game. The Panthers fall to 9-8 before beginning district play on the road against St. Martin on Tuesday.
The Indians ended their three-game losing streak, improving to 13-3. Biloxi will look to stay in the win column, as they start district play at home against arch-rival Gulfport also on Tuesday.
At Hancock High Friday night, the Greyhounds overcame a 2-0 Hawks advantage with a three-run outburst in the top of the seventh stanza to pull out the one-run win.
Tanner Beaugez delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit with a pinch-hit run-scoring single to put the Greyhounds ahead for good. Brock Cantrell went the distance on the mound for Ocean Springs and picked up the win with the complete game performance.
The Greyhounds will begin Region 7-6A play on Tuesday at home against D’Iberville. Meanwhile, Hancock starts Region 8-6A action on the same night against visiting Harrison Central.
