Both the Pass Christian Pirates and the home-standing Biloxi Indians got off to successful starts in the annual “Battle at the Beach” Thursday night, each winning games by the same exact final score.
Pass Christian nipped Denham Springs (La.) 4-3 and Biloxi remained unbeaten at 10-0 with a 4-3 win over Etowah (Ala.) with both games taking place at the Biloxi High Sports Complex.
The Pirates under the guidance of head coach Ricky Smith moved to 7-3 overall on the young season, as Southern Miss signee Peyton Lacy moved to 4-0 on the hill in picking up the win over the Yellow Jackets out of Livingston Parish.
Lacy, as he normally does, also helped himself at the plate as he had a pair of hits and drove in a run but Andre Gilberti carried the big stick for PCHS as he went three-for-three at the plate and also drove in a run. Dylan Welter also chipped in two hits to the winning effort.
Lacy picked up the victory with five frames of solid work, while Evan Anderson was credited with a hold for his inning of relief and Welter strolled on in the seventh stanza and promptly struck out the side to earn the save.
The Pirates are back in action in the Battle at the Beach at 5 p.m., Friday afternoon against Etowah at MGM Park.
Biloxi proved to be a rude host to that same Etowah squad Thursday night and in doing so kept its unbeaten mark intact.
The Indians jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead after the first inning and led 4-1 after four frames before Etowah added two runs in the top of the seventh to cut the deficit to the final margin.
Biloxi managed only four hits in the win, but Aiden Harrison came up with half of those. Judson Byars drove in a game-high two runs for the Indians, while Ja’Darius Hartley and Brodie Pearson also collected RBIs in the winning effort.
Byars hurled four frames and picked up the win allowing seven hits and striking out seven in the process, while Bryson Pisarich pitched three innings and struck out six while allowing just one hit and walking none.
Biloxi is also back in action today in the Battle at the Beach and the Indians also will head down to Highway 90 and take on D’Iberville at 7:30 at MGM Stadium.
In other Battle at the Beach action on Friday, Gulfport High will host Daphne (Ala.) at 6 p.m., at Herbert Wilson Field in Gulfport while Etowah and Denham Springs faced off at 11 a.m, at Biloxi High and that game is followed by a match-up between West Marion and DSHS set for 1:30.
On Saturday, at Pascagoula High, the host Panthers meet Pelahatchie High at 3:30 p.m. That contest follows a meeting between the defending Class 1A state champion Resurrection and Pelahatchie at 1 p.m.
In St. Martin on Saturday, BATB action has Daphne (Ala.) facing Denham Springs at 11 a.m., followed by the host SMHS Yellow Jackets facing Daphne at 1:30.
Pass Christian returns home to host a pair of games in BATB play on Saturday as West Marion meets Bay High at 11 a.m., and then faces the host Pirates at 1:30 as well.
Battle at the Beach will take the day off on Sunday before returning with action at eight different venues on Monday.
