NATCHEZ &045; Game 1 of the Adams Christian-Jackson Prep series won’t be finished in Natchez.

But at this point, both sides are really just wanting to finish this whole Mississippi Private School Association Class AAA state championship series.

It’s been rained out for going on two weeks now, and officials Wednesday afternoon instructed both schools to pick it up the completion of Game 1 at 1:30 p.m. today at Jackson Prep

and follow with Game 2 20 minutes afterward.

Game 3 will be played at a neutral site either Monday or Tuesday if necessary.

Representatives from both sides debated the issue with the MPSA baseball committee whether or not to continue the game in Natchez. Jackson Prep did not want to make another trip to Natchez after getting as far as Brookhaven once, playing to a 3-3 tie the second time and leaving without taking the field in Tuesday’s rainout.

Adams Christian officials wanted to keep the game in Natchez since the rules call for the Game 1 of a playoff series be played at the lower seed.

&uot;When (AC headmaster) Mr. (John) Gray came down here and told us we had lost and we’d play the suspended game in Jackson, we voted as a team to play one more in Jackson,&uot; Adams head coach Gill Morris said. &uot;I fully explained it to the kids before we started practicing today. We’ll go to Jackson and play a suspended game, and the kids said, ‘Let’s play another one, coach.’

&uot;That showed me what they wanted &045; they want to play, they want to whip Prep and they want to get it done in two.&uot;

But at least the series may finally resume if the weather permits. The series should have been played out last week but was rained out two straight days before the two played to a 3-3 tie heading into the bottom of the sixth on May 13.

And it’s got to get done in a hurry &045; AC holds graduation on Friday, and both teams will have players reporting to the MPSA All-Star game May 27.

&uot;We’re ready to play,&uot; said pitcher Glenn Williams one of four seniors on the roster and one of three seniors chosen for the All-Star game. &uot;I don’t care where we play as long as we play. Nobody really cares where we play it out at. I’d like to finish it out at our home field, but we want to play it. Playing up there is fine with us. I think we’ll play just as well.&uot;

Then there’s the concern on both team’s behalf of regaining focus following the week-long layover. And really when you add it all up, both teams have played just six innings of baseball in two nearly two weeks.

Adams Christian has not played a full game since a May 6 win over Hillcrest Christian in the semifinals.

&uot;Each day we begin practice and end practice talking about staying focused,&uot; Morris said. &uot;It’s graduation time, and exams are over. I know they’re ready to hit the golf ball, go fishing and spend time with sweetie, but the team that stays focused will win this thing.&uot;

Williams went six innings in Game 1 before the rain came, and Morris will put him back on the mound today to finish out. He’s got a week worth of rest and should be able to go if the game goes into extra innings tied up.

Not that they would want to, but Williams is available. Timmy Foster will get the start in Game 2.

The left-hander had trouble in the second and third innings before holding the Patriots scoreless in the next three and striking out four.

&uot;That’s fine with me &045; I don’t care,&uot; Williams said. &uot;As long as we get the win. If it doesn’t go that way, I hope I can keep them off the scoreboard until we can get a run.&uot;

The Rebels had the momentum when the game ended when third baseman David New parked a three-run homer off Prep ace Kyle Moore to tie it up in the fourth. Up until then that inning the Rebels had just one hit, a New single with two outs that got left stranded at first.

Up in the sixth for the Rebels are Dustin Case, Timmy Foster and David Trisler.

&uot;We’re just glad we’re finally getting the game in,&uot; said Trisler, who singled and was on first when New went yard. &uot;We were supposed to go up there and play two anyway. We’re feeling good &045; we’ve got two at-bats to their one, and we have our second, third and fourth hitters coming up.

&uot;They said (Moore) he hadn’t had an earned run all year, and we got three off him at Prep and three more off him when he was here. He’s got a good slider and a good curveball, but it’s just (a matter of) getting your pitch to hit.&uot;

If the two teams split each game today and force a Game 3, that contest will be at a site to be determined. The Rebels can’t play on Friday or Saturday with graduation, and Morris said Sunday could be an option.

But the veteran coach couldn’t help but display his distaste for the decision to continue the first game at Jackson Prep.

&uot;This is the one of the most unfortunate things ever in my coaching career,&uot; Morris said. &uot;The rules say the No. 4 seed will host the first game. It doesn’t say anything about weather, and it doesn’t say anything about the other team what the other team takes down here. But that’s all fine and good.&uot;