Picayune took control of the Region 7-5A race last week with a pair of one-run wins over its longtime arch-rival.
The Maroon Tide swept a pair of games from Pearl River Central, winning 7-6 in eight innings at home on Tuesday and taking a 3-2 win on the road in Carriere on Thursday.
The two teams came into the week tied each at 4-0 in the region race, and each has to face every other opponent in the four-team league one more time over the next two weeks. Picayune stands 6-0, while PRC is entrenched in second place at 4-2. Long Beach holds down the third and final playoff spot at 2-4, while West Harrison brings up the rear at 0-6.
On Tuesday, Picayune trailed the Blue Devils 6-3 coming up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. But the Maroon Tide rallied to tie the game with three runs in that seventh stanza and then added the game-winning run in the eighth inning to claim the win.
Brady Robertson paced Picayune with an RBI-double, and Landon Watts drove in a pair of runs. Brunson Stockstill rapped a double, while Cooper Moreaux, Tanner Busby, Kyler King and Jamie Lumpkin each drove in a run apiece for the Tide as they scored seven runs on just five hits.
King picked up the win with two innings in relief of Robertson, who started and threw the first six stanzas.
B.J. Belleo had a pair of hits and drove in a pair of runs for PRC, while Wes Gardner added a two-run single.
Isiais Ryan took the loss in relief of starter Caleb Dyess.
Two days later, in Carriere, Picayune again overcame a Blue Devil lead to pull out the win as PRC led 2-0 after three innings. The Maroon Tide rallied for two runs in the fourth to tie the game up and then scored the go ahead and eventual winning run in the top of the sixth.
Picayune picked up the win with only three hits and some timely hitting. Stockstill drove in two of the Tide’s three runs.
Pearl River Central managed just four hits, with Conner Dyess and Austin Gill collecting an RBI apiece.
Busby hurled five innings to pick up the win for PMHS, while King tossed two frames of relief to earn the save. Jacon Johnson went the distance for PRC, striking out eight and scattering the three hits and being tagged with the tough-luck loss.
Also in the span of three days last week, Long Beach made a playoff push by sweeping West Harrison in two shutouts to move into the third spot in the region race.
On Tuesday, the Bearcats blew by the Hurricanes 10-0 in five frames.
Ashton Schepens led the Bearcats at the plate, as he rapped out three hits including a run-scoring double. Wesley Watson added a two-run single, while W.P. Bermudez also drove in a pair of runs for LBHS. Hunter Blackwell also drove in a run.
Eli Hodges went the five frame distance on the hill to pick up the win. Donald Davis took the loss.
On Thursday, in Long Beach, Noah Williams tossed a complete game two-hit shutout for Long Beach striking out 10 and walking none in the big win that gives the Bearcats all tie-breakers over WHHS in any playoff scenarios.
Brady Watts paced LBHS with a run-scoring single. Hunter Ross took the loss, despite just allowing four singles to the Bearcats in the contest.
Next up in the region race, Lon Beach travels to Carriere for a big game with PRC Tuesday night and Picayune travels to West Harrison Tuesday night as well.
