Playoff baseball: DeSoto Central extends Jags vs. Jags playoff series

Photo: DeSoto Central baseball players and coaches hear from head coach Brian Lewis after Saturday’s 5-2 win over Madison Central. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

DESOTO CENTRAL 5, MADISON CENTRAL 2

DeSoto Central forced a deciding game in their opening round 7A baseball playoff series with Madison Central Saturday night. The Jaguars used a three-run third inning to open up a 4-1 lead, added another run in the fifth and survived a sixth-inning rally by Madison Central. 

Cade Bullard continued his strong pitching and Jack Willis proved to be a tough out at the plate for the Jaguars, who rebounded from an 11-1 loss on Friday night.

Jaguars coach Brian Lewis said his team was challenged to respond after Friday’s loss, and they did.  

“We’ve been responding all year throughout the division,” Lewis said. “We got a resilient group of young men that just when their backs up against the wall, they come out and they play hard.”

Bullard stymied the Madison Central offense, scattering five hits in his complete-game pitching victory. He walked three and struck out three.  

Lewis said Bullard to be a battler on the mound.  

“He didn’t have his best stuff tonight,” Lewis said. “But he’s a bulldog and he’s a warrior. He just found ways to get outs and our guys played really well behind him.”

Willis tripled among three hits at the plate and he scored three times from his lead-off spot in the lineup.  

“Willis has really stepped up,” Lewis said. “Jack’s been big in the leadoff spot. He opened the game up at that triple when we needed to add one late.”

Tuesday’s game three will be at 7 p.m. in Madison.  It was originally scheduled for Monday, but moved with the threat of storms in the state.

LEWISBURG 9, STARKVILLE 3: Lewisburg completed a two-game sweep of Starkville, Saturday rebounding from an early 3-0 deficit to win, punctuated by a five-run fourth inning.  Caden Nelson led the Lewisburg offense with three hits and two runs-batted-in. Andrew Hendrichovsky also drove in a pair of runs for the Patriots in the win. Austin Hannigan added to the production with a double, Lewisburg’s only extra-base hit of the contest.  C Baker led three Lewisburg pitchers to the victory on the mound, striking out five and allowing one walk in 5.1 innings. Baker allowed three runs, two earned, and six hits in getting the win.  Lewisburg plays at Hernando to start a best-of-three second-round series.  

HERNANDO 14, TUPELO 3 (6 INNINGS): Hernando swept Tupelo out of the baseball playoffs with its second straight double-digit offensive performance. The Tigers broke open a close game with a six-run fifth inning and added four more in the sixth.  Topher Jones drove in four runs for Hernando in the victory and scored twice on two hits, including a double and a home run.  Cade Koczka and Preston Johnson also doubled for the Tigers, Tyler Sullivan tripled, and Hallas Lawson also homered.  Luke Romine earned the mound victory, fanning four and walking five in 3.1 innings. Romine allowed three hits and three runs, all earned.  Hernando will host Lewisburg Friday to begin a best-of-three second round series.  

CENTER HILL 15, VICKSBURG 0 (4 INNINGS): Center Hill advanced to the second round of the 6A playoffs with its second-straight run-rule victory over the Vicksburg Gators Saturday afternoon. The Mustangs scored six runs in the first inning to start the game off and scored all 15 runs on just seven hits.  Mac Atkins tossed a three-inning no-hitter on the mound with six strikeouts and three walks. Deshann Hannah doubled and drove in a pair of runs, Houston Green and Kyle Erwin had two hits each, and Erwin also had two RBIs. Center Hill hosts Grenada Friday to begin a best-of-three second-round series.  

WARREN CENTRAL 8, LAKE CORMORANT 3: The Lake Cormorant baseball season came to an end Saturday with the Gators’ loss to Warren Central, 8-3, its second straight of the first-round 6A playoff series.  The Gators scored all three runs in the fourth inning after falling behind 6-0 to the Vikings.  Derrin Randle doubled for the only Lake Cormorant extra-base hit among seven hits in the game, while Brayden Moberly hit safely twice in three at-bats.  Randle took the loss on the mound with 3.2 innings worked, six hits and six runs allowed, six walks and five strikeouts.  

REGULAR SEASON BASEBALL 

NORTHPOINT CHRISTIAN 6, BARTLETT, TENN. 3: Northpoint took a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, which became 6-2 in the fifth. Jayden Parker scored twice for the Trojans, while Carson Jones and Kaden Clayborn each had two hits. Jones doubled and drove in a pair of runs, and Seth Giamportone also doubled. Giamportone was the winning pitcher, allowing four hits and two runs in 4.2 innings. Giamportone walked one and struck out four.  Alex Love earned the save with one hit and one run allowed in 2.1 innings. Love walked two and fanned four.  

Prep baseball playoffs

7A first round – best of three

Hernando vs. Tupelo

Hernando 13, Tupelo 6

Hernando 14, Tupelo 3 (Hernando wins 2-0)

Lewisburg vs. Starkville  

Lewisburg 4, Starkville 2

Lewisburg 9, Starkville 3 (Lewisburg wins 2-0)

DeSoto Central vs. Madison Central 

Madison Central 11, DeSoto Central 1 (6 innings) 

DeSoto Central 5, Madison Central 2 (Series tied 1-1) 

Prep baseball playoffs

6A first round – best of three

Center Hill at Vicksburg 

Center Hill 10, Vicksburg 0 (5 innings)

Center Hill 15, Vicksburg 0 (4 innings) (Center Hill wins 2-0)

Lake Cormorant vs. Warren Central 

Warren Central 1, Lake Cormorant 0

Warren Central 8, Lake Cormorant 3 (Warren Central wins 2-0)

Regular season baseball

Northpoint Christian 6, Bartlett, Tenn. 3

JUCO baseball

Northwest 9, Pearl River 8

Pearl River 7, Northwest 1