There’s yet another big week of prep baseball action on tap this week as early season action continues to unfold on the diamonds across the “Southern Six” while a half-dozen gold balls will be presented in Jackson over the weekend to wrap up yet another basketball season.
One of the bigger match-ups to follow this week in South Mississippi come in Class 5A, as defending state champion East Central faces 2017 state champ Pearl River Central.
The contest will be the first home game of the year for the Hornets, who stand 5-2 overall after a quick 4-0 start. The Blue Devils, meanwhile, are off to a 4-2 start in the young campaign, which includes a 5-1 win last week over the 2018 Class 4A state champion Vancleave Bulldogs. The same two teams, EC and PRC, will meet again in three weeks in Carriere.
East Central was tagged with its first two losses of the season late last week, as West Harrison struck with an 8-0 win Friday night. Hunter Ross tossed a three-hit complete-game shutout for the Hurricanes, striking out four in the process. Ross also helped his own cause with an RBI-double at the plate and Elijah Carriere had two hits and drove in a pair of runs as well for the Hurricanes in the win. Eli Smith took the loss for ECHS, and Brandt Dickerson had a double at the plate for the Hornets.
On Saturday, Biloxi remained unbeaten moving to 5-0 and in the process handing the Hornets their second straight loss in a 5-3 decision in Biloxi.
Bryson Pisarich collected two of Biloxi’s five hits in the game, including a solo home run to lead the Indians at the plate. Logan Fontenelle also drove in a run in the BHS win. Will Myle picked up the win and Dickerson took the loss.
The Hornets actually out-hit the Indians 9-4, as Haydn Porter collected two hits and Nate Trochessett had a single and drove in two runs.
Both the Indians and Hornets beat Stone on Saturday on the home field of Biloxi, as BHS beat the Tomcats 6-4 while ECHS bounced back from the loss to Biloxi to earn a 4-2 win.
The Indians got two hits including a home run and three RBIs from Judson Byars in the win, while Pisarich, Fontenelle and Robby Hokamp all recorded doubles. Cameron Holt picked up the win on the hill. It marked the second win for the Indians over the Tomcats in less than two weeks. Biloxi hosts Resurrection Tuesday night.
In East Central’s win over Stone, Porter picked up the win with two scoreless innings in relief of Anthony Tanner. Senior standout T.J. Dunsford had an RBI-single for ECHS, while Trochessett collected a pair of hits and drove in a run and Porter had an RBI-single as well.
In other action in the “Southern Six” over the weekend, Resurrection, the defending Class 1A state champion knocked off home-standing St. Stanislaus 3-1.
Walker Frederic had a pair of hits for the Eagles, including a double, and Nicholas Watts carried a big stick for RCS collecting a pair of hits including a double and he drove in two runs for RCS. Luke Schnoor drove in the other run for the Eagles, and the win ended a three-game losing streak for RCS as they sit 2-5 on the season.
Levi Fosheepicked up the win with six strong innings of work on the mound, striking out six and allowing four hits and one run and striking out six. Tate Murphy was saddled with the loss.
Chesley Rhodes smacked a solo homer for the Rocks, who were coming off two straight wins over Class 6A schools in Pascagoula and D’Iberville.
In neighboring Pearl River County on Saturday, visiting Hancock beat Picayune 9-7. Peyton Dewitt had a monster game at the plate for the Hawks, as he belted a three-run home run and drove in five runs on two hits in the win. Tanner Ladner had a run-scoring double as well for Hancock, and Max Garrett picked up the win.
Picayune, which was coming off a two-game sweep of Geroge County earlier in the week, got a pair of doubles and an RBI from junior Jamie Lumpkin as well as two hits and a pair of RBIs including a double from Morgan Craft in the loss. Tanner Busby also had two hits for Picayune, while Landon Watts took the loss.
The Maroon Tide, which had beaten George County 3-1 on Tuesday, completed the clean sweep of the Rebels on Friday with a 4-3 decision in Lucedale on Friday. Craft had a big night at the plate with three hits including a run-scoring double while Watts added an RBI-double as did Kyler King. Brady Robertson picked up the win.
Brody Howell had two hits, including a home run, and drove in three for the Rebels and Gage Reeves added two hits including a double. Andrew Nielsen took the loss.
