The high school baseball playoffs got underway Friday in Mississippi for teams in Classes 1A through 4A.
Locally, six teams began their best-of-three series in their quests to claim a state championship.
CLASS 1A
Noxapater vs. Resurrection Catholic
The Resurrection Eagles, the two-time defending 1A state champions, rolled to a 13-0 win over Noxapater at Lee Tingle Field in Pascagoula in Game 1 of their series.
Carter McCammon belted a grand slam in the first inning as the Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead. RCS added two runs in the second inning on Justin San Miguel’s home run and put up six in the third to blow the game open.
Trace Tingle and Hayden Porter drove in runs on a single and double, respectively, while McCammon and Michael Wayne Decoteau both had run-scoring singles.
Tingle, the winning pitcher, allowed just three hits in five innings and struck out seven.
Logan Sanborn, Kaden Carter, and Trent Roark each had a hit for Noxapater.
The teams will play Game 2 on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Noxapater.
CLASS 3A
Jefferson Davis County vs. St. Stanislaus
The Rock-A-Chaws stormed to a 12-2 win over Jefferson Davis County in Game 1 in Bay St. Louis.
Will Powell and Heath Shinn both drove in three runs.
With the game tied 2-2, Shinn had a three-run double and Powell added a two-run double as the Rocks blew the game open with a nine-run fourth inning.
Brady Willis got the win, allowing two runs on two hits while striking out five and walking one in five innings.
The teams will meet in Game 2 on Saturday in Sumrall at 2 p.m.
St. Patrick vs. Magee
The Fighting Irish reeled off eight unanswered runs on the way to an 8-1 win in Game 1 at Magee.
Kyshawn Ducksworth had an RBI single to put the Tigers on top in the first inning, but St. Patrick quickly answered with four runs in the third. Austin Knapp had a two-run double to highlight the inning.
John Hay had an RBI single in the fourth as the Irish scored three runs in the inning.
Chandler Marsland got the win, going seven innings and allowing one run on five hits and fanning three.
The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m. at St. Patrick.
CLASS 4A
McComb vs. Poplarville
The Hornets won big in their series opener, beating McComb 15-0 in Poplarville.
Poplarville jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning with Brock Sheppard belting a two-run triple and Braylon Magee adding a two-run single.
The Hornets tacked on five more runs in the second inning on just one hit, which was Magee’s RBI single.
Poplarville took advantage of a two-run error, a bases-loaded walk, and a run-scoring fielder’s choice to lead 9-0 after two innings.
The host team added five more runs in the fourth on a two-run double by Myles Glenn and RBI singles by Trac Smith and Jake Johnson.
Emile Pace got the win, allowing no hits and striking out nine in four innings.
The series continues Saturday at noon in McComb.
Raymond vs. Bay High
The Tigers advanced to the next round of the playoffs by sweeping Raymond in a doubleheader at Bay St. Louis.
Bay High won the first game 10-0 and the nightcap 17-0.
In the opener, the Tigers scored two runs in the first inning and added two in the third and fourth innings before putting the game away with four runs in the sixth.
Maddux Mayo collected two hits and three RBIs while Walker Seymour and Ethan Kingston also had two hits each.
Seymour, the winning pitcher, struck out 12 batters in five innings.
The Tigers scored four runs in each of the first three innings and added five in the fourth on the way to blowing out Raymond in Game 2.
Bay High piled up 12 hits while giving up five.
Seymour hit a two-run homer in the first inning.
Paul Verdin finished with three hits and two RBIs while Xander Ladner, Carson Tallent, Frederick Weems, and Brayden Pepperman each contributed two RBIs.
Sug Reynolds got the win, striking out six and allowing five hits in four innings.
Pass Christian vs. Richland
The Rangers defeated the Pirates 3-0 in Richland to take the series lead.
Jasper Moorhead had an RBI single in the first inning and winning pitcher Blake Ferguson added a two-run single in the fourth.
Landen Necaise and Stephen Tinsley both had hits for Pass Christian.
The series resumes Saturday at 7 p.m. in Pass Christian.
