Bay High knocked Pass Christian from the ranks of the unbeaten in Region 8-4A play Tuesday night with a 5-2 road win Tuesday night.
Southern Miss signee Peyton Lacey smacked a two-run home run for the Pirates in the losing effort, but it wasn’t enough to overcome tough Tiger hurler Xander Ladner who tossed a complete game effort to pick up the win as he allowed six hits and struck out four while walking two in picking up the important league win.
The win vaulted Bay High up into the third spot in the Region 8-4A race with a 3-2 mark and it helped the Tigers take yet another step toward securing a playoff berth in the league. The loss knocked Pass Christian down into second place for the first time this season with a 4-1 record. Stone High, who is off from region action this week, now stands alone in first place in Region 8-4A with a 5-1 mark. Bay High has handed
Moss Point and Greene County are also facing off this week in a two-game series in Region 8-4A this week, in yet another set that will prove vital for playoff qualifications and seeding. The Wildcats picked up a 10-0 win at home Tuesday night pushing them into the fourth and final playoff berth at this point as Greene County stands 1-4 and Moss Point is 1-6. yet another win by the Wildcats in Moss Point Thursday night would secure a postseason spot for GCHS and eliminate the Tigers from the race for the playoffs.
Thursday’s game vs. Greene County marks the end of region play for Moss Point, while next week Greene County faces Bay High in a two game series while Stone and Pass Christian will meet in a pair of league games as well.
Unlike most of the other regions across the state in Class 4A, Region 8-4A consists of only five teams instead of six but just like the other seven regions four teams still qualify for the playoffs. So, in Region 8-4A, only one team miss out on the postseason as opposed to two teams being left out throughout the rest of the state.
Also, Class 4A is the largest classification in the state of Mississippi in which the top seed in each region does not earn a first-round bye in the state playoffs. In Class 6A and Class 5A, the top team does not have to play in the opening round already being assured of a host spot in the next round.
Class 3A and Class 1A follow the same playoff process as does Class 4A.
