PEARL — Stone High enjoyed the strongest season of the Class 4A teams in the Southern Six this season. The Tomcats were eliminated in the South State semifinals by eventual state champion Purvis.
Those perennial state power Tornadoes won their first state title in 11 years, and also won crowns in 2012, 2005, 2004.
Purvis also has made appearances in the state championship round in 2014, 2012, 2007, 2005, 2004 and 2002 as well as this season.
Tornadoes standout Jo Jo Parker hit a walk-off sacrifice fly to right field to lead Purvis over West Lauderdale 3-2 in a 10-inning thriller to sweep the series and claim the MHSAA Class 4A Baseball State Championship here at Trustmark Park late last week. And Purvis was named the “Player of the Year” in Class 4A and his head coach Tony Farlow was named “Coach of the Year”.
But despite no squads from the “Southern Six” qualifying for the state finals or even the South State finals, several “Southern Six” standouts were honored with All-State status.
Southern Miss signee and Pass Christian senior standout Peyton Lacey was named Class 4A First Team. All-State. Also, Pass Christian’s Dylan Welter and Stone High’s Conner Tice were selected for the Second Team All-State squad..
In addition, Greene County’s Colin Pipkin was selected for the Second Team All-State squad as well.
Here are the 2023 Mississippi High School Baseball Coaches Class 4A All-State Teams. These all-state teams are voted on by coaches around the state who are members of the Mississippi Association of Coaches.
CLASS 4A
Coach of the Year: Tony Farlow, Purvis
Player of the Year: JoJo Parker, INF/P, So., Purvis
First Team
Drew Davis, P, 8th, Sumrall
Ian Herrington, P, Jr., West Lauderdale
Garrett Pounds, P, Sr., Pontotoc
Cannon Graham, INF, Jr., West Lauderdale
Ty Long, INF, Sr., Ripley
Brett Busbea, INF, Sr., West Lauderdale
Peyton Lacy, INF, Sr., Pass Christian
Jacob Parker, OF, So., Purvis
Griffin Enis, OF, So., Corinth
Cayden Prestage, OF, Fr., Itawamba AHS
Walker Long, C, Sr., Sumrall
Hunter Bagwell, UTL, Sr., South Pontotoc
Hayden Amis, UTL, Fr., Newton County
Mason Gillentine, UTL, Jr., Mooreville
Second Team
Eli Lowe, P, Jr., Purvis
Jacob Nunn, P, Sr., Kosciusko
Connor Tice, P, Jr., Stone
Jud Files, INF, Sr., Mooreville
Landon Hollimon, INF, Sr., Sumrall
Damon Putnam, INF, Sr., Purvis
Kaden Padgett, INF, So., Northeast Jones
Barrett Breazeale, OF, Sr., Sumrall
Darius Dampeer, OF, Sr., Mendenhall
Cooper Lewis, OF, Jr., Newton County
Ethan Walker, C, So., Purvis
Dylen Welter, UTL, Sr., Pass Christian
Jon Robert Carnes, UTL, Sr., Pontotoc
Collin Pipkins, UTL, Sr., Greene County
