A total of six squads in Class 6A in th “Southern Six” began the Class 6A South State playoffs almost two weeks ago.
And as of today, only one is left still standing.
The Gulfport Admirals host Warren Central in game two of their best-of-three series’ Monday nighta t herbert Wilson Field. Veteran head coach Jamie McMahon’s crew upset the home-standing Vikings 3-1 in game one last Tuesday, but the second game was postponed on both Friday and Saturday so the teams have had a six day layoff.
A Gulfport win Monday night will move the Admirals into the Class 6 South State semifinals against Brandon.
Both Region 8-6A champ Biloxi and Region 7-6A champ D’Iberville saw their respective seasons come to sudden and disappointing ends within a span of three days last week. After Biloxi dropped a 2-0 decision to defending Class 6A state champion Northwest Rankin to open the postseason t home on Tuesday, game two was move up a day due to incoming weather to Thursday and the Cougars finished off the Indians in Brandon bombing Biloxi 10-3.
Ian Henry tallied an two-run double for BHS at the plate,
while Logan Fontenelle also had a double and Judson Byars drove in the other Indian run.
Bryson Pisarich took the loss in the finale game ofthe year for Biloxi, which finsihes 22-7 under the direction of first year head coach Hawtin Buchanan. It marked the second straight season that the Indians were swept in the second round of the playoffs.
D’Iberville’s season ended Thursday as well. The Warriors, after also opening the postseason with a 7-3 home loss on Tuesday, travelled to Petal on Thursday and the Panthers completed the two game sweep with a 10-0 five frame thumping of DHS.
Petal pitcher Andy Hillman allowed only three singles to the Warriors in picking up the win. D’Iberville finishes 20-10 in Brett Martin’s first year at the helm.
D’Iberville has won three straight Region 7-6A titles.
Thursday proved to be a very unfriendly night for Class 6A squads in the “Southern Six” in the baseball playoffs, as Ocean Springs also saw it’s season come to an end under a first-year head coach.
The Greyhounds were hammered at home 13-2 by Brandon to end that three games series in a two game sweep as well.
Maddox Moreland smacked a solo home run for OSHS and Tanner Beaugez had a team-high two hits as the Greyhounds only managed three in the loss that ended after five innings when Brandon scored nine runs in the top of that frame.
Brock Cantrell took the loss for the Greyhounds on the hill. Ocean Springs finished 18-12 on the season under new head coach Tommy Walker and finished as the second seed in Region 7-6A behind D’Iberville.
Elsewhere, in game one in Vicksburg last week, Gulfport went on the road to Vicksburg Tuesday night to open the second round of the Class 6A South State playoffs and stunned home-standing Warren Central by handing the Vikings a 3-1 loss.
Gulfport garnered all the runs it would need in the second stanza in game one of the best of three series, as the Admirals scored all three of their runs in that inning. Braxton Williams got things started with an RBI-single that scored Nicholas Williams, while Nathan Edwards squeezed in Dawson Hall just minutes later. Ethan Garner then completed the three-run uprising for GHS as his RBI-single plated Braxton Williams.
The Admirals then just turned things over to ace pitcher Josh Lee, a Southeastern Louisiana signee, who for the second consecutive Tuesday night turned in a dominant pitching performance to open a round of the state playoffs.
Lee tossed a complete game in picking up the win over WCHS, as he punched out nine Vikings and allowed six hits while walking just one. The week before, in the first round playoff series opener against St. Martin, Lee hurled a complete game no-hitter and he struck out 14 in the process and walked just two in a 5-0 win.
Garner had a pair of hits for GHS in the win over Warren Central.
