There were some mixed results for teams in Region 8-5A recently as all four squads prepare for league play which begins this week.
East Central picked up a pair of wins over the weekend, as the Hornets nipped Mary G. Montgomery in Semmes, Ala., on Friday night 7-5 in eight innings and then bounced visiting Greene County 8-2 on Saturday.
In Friday’s road win, Nate Trochessett collected three hits and a game-high three RBIs to pace the Hornets at the plate, and Carson Ryder also registered three hits. Southern Miss signee T. J. Dunsford and Logan Terry each recorded run-scoring doubles, while Haydn Porter and Andrew Marble also drove in a run apiece.
Dunsford, the third of three Hornet hurlers, came on in relief and picked up the win as East Central scored two runs in the top of the seventh and then added two more in the top of the eighth after the Vikings scored two runs of their own to re-tie the game at 5-5 in the bottom of the seventh.
On Saturday, the Hornets overcame an early 2-0 deficit by tallying five runs in the third frame and added a trio of insurance markers in the bottom of the fifth to seal the win.
Easy Central rang up 13 hits against the Wildcat pitching, and the junior Trochessett wielded the big stick again for the Hornets as he rang up three more hits including a triple and he drove in three more runs. Both Marble and Dunsford each both recorded two hits apiece and drove in a run each, while Anthony Tanner and Brandt Dickerson each added a pair of hits apiece to the winning effort and Brayson Owenby knocked a run-scoring double.
Owenby started and picked up the win on the win on the hill for the Hornets with four frames of work.
Next up for East Centra, which stands 10-7 overall, is a three-game series with Vancleave to open Region 8-5A action beginning Tuesday at home.
The Bulldogs are coming off a pair of wins as well heading into league play. Vancleave bombed Bay High 11-1 on the road Thursday and then followed that up with another win over a Hancock County squad on Saturday smacking St. Stanislaus 13-3 at home.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the fourth frame to break open a close contest and take an 8-0 advantage. The game ended when VHS added four more markers in the bottom of the sixth to account for the 10-run win.
Layton Eder mashed a home run for one of his two hits and he drove in a game-high four runs for the Bulldogs, while Martin Shaw chipped in a two-run double for VHS. Asher Henley, Tanner Willis and Hunter Parker also each drove in a run apiece for the Bulldogs in the win.
Chesley Rhodes had a pair of hits for the Rock-a-Chaws, including a double, and Hugh LeMasters drove in a pair of runs for SSC. Brady Willis added a double as well.
Sophomore Hunter Harper picked up the win for Vancleave, while Ole Miss signee started a took the loss for St. Stanislaus.
The Bulldogs were coming off another 10-run rule win over Bay High Thursday. In that game, sophomore Aidan Tapp drove in a game-high four runs with a pair of hits while Willis and Robert Tinson each drove in a pair of runs apiece. Eder and Hunter Parker each had a pair of hits also.
Tyler West earned the win in the game that ended after five frames when Vancleave scored three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
The Bulldogs are 12-5 overall on the season.
In other Region 8-5A play over the weekend, George County split a pair of games beating Baker High of Mobile, Ala., at home on Friday 5-1 before falling to St. Patrick 7-6 on the road Saturday afternoon.
In the victory, Alex Wade had a two-run single for the Rebels while Tate Davis added a run-scoring triple. Ben Davis and Brody Howell each chipped in two hits apiece in the winning attack.
Howell picked up the pitching win, working six stanzas scattering four hits and striking out six.
On Saturday, the Fighting Irish used a late-inning rally to overcome an early 3-0 GCHS lead to pull out the one-run win by scoring two runs in the sixth and then a walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh.
Otis Brooks had two hits for SPHS including a run-scoring triple, while Jacob Alexander added an RBI-double. Cohen Weinhofer chipped in a pair of hits and he drove in a run as well for the Fighting Irish, while Hayden Hall and Trey Kopszywa also added two hits apiece.
Howell had a pair of hits including a home run and two RBIs for the Rebels, while Trip Lightsey added two hits and drove in and Gage Reeves added a pair of hits as well.
Hall earned the win in relief of Weinhofer while Bubba Herrington took the loss.
George County begins Region 8-5A play Tuesday at Gautier. The Rebels stand 12-5 overall.
