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.
Unfortunately, the Admirals’ longtime arch-rival Biloxi suffered the same type of predicament as visiting Northwest Rankin came in and shout down the Indians 2-0.
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. Last week, 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.
Meanwhile, in Biloxi, the defending Class 6A state champion Northwest Rankin showed that they are still a force to be reckoned with this year in the state playoffs as Region 8-6A champion Biloxi was shutout for just the second time this season in almost 30 games.
Cougar ace Dawson Muenzenmay kept Biloxi at bay all game long, as he scattered six hits and struck out eight while walking three in picking up the win in the process.
The Cougars tallied two runs in the top of the third off BHS starter Logan Fontelle to provide all the scoring in the game.
Ja’Darius Hartley led Biloxi with two hits.
Game two in both series are set for later this week. Gulfport can wrap up a trip to the Class 6A South State semifinals with a win at home at Herbert Wilson Field. The winner of the Biloxi-NWR series meets the survivor of the Petal-D’Iberville match-up in the next round. Petal won 7-3 Tuesday night. The winner of the Gulfport-Warren Central series faces the survivor of the Ocean Springs-Brandon match-up. Brandon won 5-4 in 10 innings Tuesday night.
