228 Sports 228 Sports 228 Sports
  • Home
  • Football
    FootballShow More
    Long Beach Promotes Cody Finley To Head Football Coach
    2 months ago
    Poplarville Hornets
    First-Time State Champion Hornets Thrived Under Pressure Right To The Thrilling End
    5 months ago
    Gautier Gators senior linebacker Fredrick Nicholson
    How The Fishing Linebacker Helped Gautier Reach New Heights In 2024
    3 months ago
    Gautier's historic run came to in end against West Point in the 5A State Championship, losing 28-21.
    Gautier’s Dream Season Ends As West Point Clinches 13th State Title With 28-21 Victory
    5 months ago
    Gautier and Poplarville secured wins and will battle for state championships this weekend at M.M. Roberts Stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
    Gautier, Poplarville Seek First State Titles. Mississippi Powers Are Their Opponents.
    5 months ago
  • Basketball
    BasketballShow More
    Heartbreak City: Pascagoula Falls In Final Four To Ridgeland For Second Year In A Row
    3 months ago
    Pirates Run Aground In Morton’s 38-32 State Quarterfinal Victory
    3 months ago
    Panthers Defeat Terry 59-37, Look To Pounce Back In Final Four Rematch vs. Ridgeland
    3 months ago
    Pass Christian Extends Unbeaten January Streak, Stays Perfect In Region Play
    3 months ago
    West Harrison Rules Rivalry Night With Double Wins At Long Beach
    4 months ago
  • More Sports
    More SportsShow More
    softball
    Unbeaten Lady Pirates Softball Team Rolls To Third Mercy-Rule Win In A Row
    3 months ago
    Adam Nguyen
    How State Bowling Champion Adam Nguyen Of D’Iberville Rolled His Way To The Top
    3 months ago
    Five Southern Six Teams Set To Make History In First Year Of Girls Flag Football In MHSAA
    3 months ago
    Kenley Archer Hancock Girls Golf
    Hancock Boys And Girls Golf Teams Sweep 6A State Titles
    6 months ago
    MGCCC Golf
    John Mark Mills Leads Bulldogs To 12-Shot Victory In MGCCC Fall Invitational
    7 months ago
  • Baseball
  • Soccer
    SoccerShow More
    Pirates Soccer Season Ends In 4A Second Round; Lady Pirates Make Quarterfinals
    3 months ago
    Girls soccer all-stars
    East Girls, West Boys Score Victories In Coast All-Star Soccer Games
    1 year ago
    St. Patrick girls, state champs
    St. Patrick Girls, Bay High Boys, Long Beach Boys Bring Home More State Soccer Titles
    1 year ago
    St. Patrick Girls Soccer Eyes Championship Repeat after Decisive Victory
    1 year ago
    Nine Southern Six Soccer Teams Set The Pitch Ablaze With Unbeaten Region Records
    1 year ago
  • Gear Shop
  • Contact
Reading: Prep baseball: Gulfport dethrones Northwest Rankin in Class 6A as Hall delivers seven RBIs in a 12-11 win
0 $0.00

No products in the cart.

Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
228 Sports 228 Sports
0 $0.00
Font ResizerAa
Follow US
© 228 Sports, LLC 2024. All rights reserved.
228 Sports228 Sports FeatureBaseballFeaturedTrending

Prep baseball: Gulfport dethrones Northwest Rankin in Class 6A as Hall delivers seven RBIs in a 12-11 win

Curtis Rockwell
Last updated: May 23, 2023 11:44 am
Curtis Rockwell 12 Min Read
Share
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Dawson Hall (19) heads back to the dugout after a big hit during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two, at Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
Gulfport shortstop Ethan Surowiec tags second base with the ball for the final out Tuesday night and sends the Admirals to the Class 6A state finals. (Photo by Carlos Hurtado/228Sports)
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Prince Cottonham (5) celebrates pitching out of a tight sixth inning during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two, at Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports

GULFPORT — Home-standing Gulfport gave Northwest Rankin 12 good reasons early in the game Tuesday night why they would dethrone the defending Class 6A state champions in the South state finals.
And turns out, the Admirals needed every one of them.
Gulfport jumped out to a 12-0 lead after three innings of play in the third and final game of the best-of-three Class 6A South State finals at Herbert Wilson Field, and then stood by and watched the Cougars rally for 11 consecutive runs of their own over the next two frames to make it 12-11 heading into the sixth stanza.
However, Admiral relief pitcher Prince Cottonham came on and shut down the Cougars over the final two-plus innings of play, and Gulfport held on for the 12-11 win and will move on to the Class 6A State Championship round starting in Pearl, Miss., at Trustmark Park next week.
It marks the second trip to the title tilt in six seasons for Gulfport, after the Admirals fell in the state finals to Tupelo in three games in 2017.

May 22, 2023: Gulfport Ethan Garner (21) slides safe into second base during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship at Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Luke Wilson (9) catches a throw to get the Northwest Rankin runner out at second base during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two, at Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Ethan Surowiec (11) starts his slide into second base as the throw goes under him during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two, at Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports

“What a special win for this program, ” veteran Gulfport head coach Jamie McMahon said. “To survive the way we did after that rally just showed the character of our players. Our hitting was so crucial early in the game that it gave us an advantage that thankfully was big enough to pull it out, and now we’re playing for a state championship.”
Gulfport got off to a quick start with five runs off of three separate NWR pitchers in the first frame. Dawson Hall had a key two-run single for the Admirals in that inning, but his biggest hit of the night was still to come. Nathan Edwards and Davis Ormes also each delivered run-scoring singles in the first, while another run registered when Rezion Barney came home on a wild pitch.
The Admirals made it 7-0 with two more runs in the second stanza, as Jacob Palazzo knocked a run-scoring double and Hall added an RBI-single for his third RBI of the game.
But again, for Hall, well, just wait and see…

May 22, 2023: Gulfport Dawson Hall (19) is congratulated by his teammates at the plate after hammering a grand slam vs. Northwest Rankin in Class 6A Baseball South State , game two. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Ethan Garner (21) scoops up a ground ball hit to center field during the Northwest Rankin vs. Gulfport Class 6A baseball South State finals, game two. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Ethan Surowiec (11) awaits the throw to third as a Northwest Ranking runner slides in safe during Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports

Gulfport starter and Ole Miss commit Ethan Surpweic got through the first three frames against the Cougars unscathed, and Gulfport took that seven-run advantage into the bottom of the third and immediately went back to work on extending its lead. And boy, did they.
The Admirals proceeded to load the bases up with one out off of the fourth Cougar pitcher of the night. Nicholas Williams was hit by a pitch to plate a run to make it 8-0, and the left-handed hitting Hall strode to the plate for the third time in as many innings.
Hall then launched a majestic shot to dead center field that found its way over the elevated “Blue Monster” and cleared the fence into the dark Port City night for a grand slam home run that made it 12-0 and sent most of the standing-room-only crowd at The Herb in a jubilant celebration.
That would be all the celebrating that GHS supporters would do for a while, however.
The Cougars got a grand slam of their own from pinch-hitter Cruse Lloyd in the top of the fourth, as they eventually cut the lead to 12-7. Then, in the next inning, Northwest Rankin closed the gap to just one at 12-11 as Tucker Jones had a two-run double and Lloyd added an RBI also.
And suddenly, and almost inexplicably, it was a game again.
But that’s when McMahon called on the junior Cottonham in the most crucial part of the season for the Admirals. And he responded in fine fashion, working his way out of a two- on, two-out jam by inducing a ground ball to second base to end the inning.
He then allowed a double and a walk in the sixth stanza, before working his way out of it with a pair of strikeouts. And in the top of the seventh, the Cougars loaded the bases with two outs on a single, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Cottonham then faced Brady Saxton, and the Cougar hitter bounced a hard ground ball directly toward second base as Suroweic, now manning shortstop, dove for the ball. Suroweic surrounded the grounder and dove for second at the same time and plunked the ball down on top of the bag just before the Cougar runner slid forcefully in for the final out.

pascagoula tire
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Dawson Hall (19) celebrates hitting a grand slam over the center field wall during the Northwest Rankin vs. Gulfport Class 6A Baseball South State finals, game two. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Nicholas Williams (28) fields a hit to the outfield and throws back to the infield vs. Northwest Rankin in Class 6A South State Championship, game two,. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport Prince Cottonham (5) celebrates the last out of the game as Gulfport defeats Northwest Ranking by a score of 21-11 to clinch the Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship at Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports

“Our kids stayed upbeat the entire time, they kept supporting one another and keeping each other in the game no matter what the score was,” McMahon added. “It wasn’t necessarily the way we as coaches would have drawn it up, but we hung in there and figured out a way to win it.”
There were several heroes for the Admirals on the evening, but none bigger than Hall. The senior first baseman, in what could have been his last game ever as an Admiral, took it upon himself to ensure that both he and his teammates would play more games as he collected a game-high four hits and a game and career-high seven runs batted in in the win. Garner and Palazzo each had a pair of hits in the winning 11-hit attack, while Surpweic, the fielding hero, added a double at the plate as well.
Cottonham, the hero on the hill, was the third and final GHS pitcher and he picked up the win after Joel Smith replaced Suroweic in the fourth frame.
Gulfport cranked out 32 hits in the three-game series against the defending state champs, and that included just five in a 7-1 road loss in Flowood Friday. In the pair of games at The Herb, the Admirals collected 27 total hits in the two wins.
McMahon and his troops will face Lewisburg in the state finals, after the Patriots swept Germantown in two games in the Class 6A North State finals.
Gulfport stands 25-12 on the season entering play in Pearl, while Lewisburg is 27-8. Friday’s loss to NWR is the only postseason blemish to this point for GHS, as it stands 8-1 in the playoffs. The Patriots went three games against Oxford in the North State semifinals, and the Region 2-6A champs are 6-1 in the postseason.
“It’s an awesome feeling, especially considering how this game went,” McMahon concluded. “We’re excited to have a chance to play for a state title. That’s always the goal when you start a season.”

May 22, 2023: Gulfport pitcher Prince Cottonham (5) celebrates the win with catcher Davis Ormes (24) during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two, at
Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports
May 22, 2023: Gulfport head coach Jamie McMahon watches his team operate during the Northwest Rankin versus Gulfport Class 6A MHSAA Baseball South State Championship, game two, at
Gulfport High School. Photo: Bobby McDuffie/©228 Sports

Stay up to date with 228 Sports

Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox weekly!
By signing up, you agree to acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Reddit Telegram Email Copy Link Print
What do you think?
Joy0
Cry0
Embarrass0
Surprise0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
By Curtis Rockwell
Curtis Rockwell has almost three decades of experience at four different daily newspapers across South Mississippi, specializing in Sports and live music.
Previous Article Prep baseball: Gulfport, East Central look to clinch berths in state championship with wins Monday
Next Article Prep baseball: East Central heads home to Hurley for a third and final game against West Jones in Class 5A
Leave a Comment Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Tweets by 228Sports
cannon banner

Most Popular

You Might Also Like

228 Sports: (A Look Ahead) 7 prime prep games to watch

3 years ago
St. Patrick girls, state champs
FeaturedSoccer

St. Patrick Girls, Bay High Boys, Long Beach Boys Bring Home More State Soccer Titles

1 year ago
228 Sports228 Sports FeatureFeaturedMore SportsTrending

Prep softball: With the playoffs on the horizon, teams are fighting for postseason positioning this week

2 years ago
228 Sports228 Sports FeatureBaseballFeaturedTrending

Prep baseball: Defending Class 5A state champ East Central moves on after eliminating Picayune 5-1

2 years ago
228 Sports 228 Sports
Follow US
228 Sports, LLC © 2024. All rights reserved.
  • Contact
  • Image Copyright
  • Privacy Policy
  • Scores
  • Gear Shop Returns Policy
adbanner
228 sports logo vert 228 Sports logo vert
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?