NATCHEZ — Once again Trinity Episcopal’s backs were to the wall and once again the Saints made sure their season would continue in the MPSA Class A South State Playoffs.

Last week, Glenbrook discovered the die-hard triat when Trinity lost the first game of the best-of-three first-round series, only to come back and win the next two games. Now Heidelberg Academy is perhaps realizing the same fate.

On a balmy Wednesday night at Chester Willis Field, Trinity pitcher Kolby Godfrey pitched a complete-game five-hitter while the Saints got timely hitting and took advantage of two costly errors as they defeated the Rebels 4-1.

“Big time pitching performance by Kolby and big time defense behind him,” Trinity head coach Matt Mason said. “He said give me two runs and we’ll win this game.”

With the series tied at one game apiece, Game 3 will take place today at Heidelberg Academy beginning at 7 p.m. At stake is a berth in next week’s Class A South State Championship series.

The only Rebels batters that gave Godfrey fits were No. 2 hitter Nathan Quimby and clean-up hitter Ryan Butler. They each hit a single off Godfrey in the top of the first inning, but they were both thrown out and the Rebels blew a scoring opportunity.

Then in the bottom of the first, Trinity leadoff hitter Clint Easom walked, stole second and stole third before pinch hitter Jordan Dossett hit a ground ball to starting pitcher Stephen Walters, who bobbled the ball, allowing Easom to score, but Dossett was still thrown out at first.

With Walters struggling, Rebels head coach Jim Freeze made a pitching change by putting Butler on the mound. The strategy worked for a while as Trinity (14-13) didn’t score off him until the fifth inning.

“He wasn’t on. If Stephen’s on, he’s on. If he’s not, you better get him out quickly,” Freeze said. “Ryan did a great job.”

Despite going just one-third of an inning, Walters was the losing pitcher as he gave up two runs on two walks. Butler went five and two-thirds innings and allowed two runs on six hits, one walk and three hit batsmen while striking out five

Parker Brumfield walked and scored when Matthew Freeman reached on an error to give the Saints a 2-0 lead. Then Godfrey pitched back-to-back 1-2-3 innings.

“It really boosted Kolby’s confidence when we got that 2-0 lead,” Mason said. “Their 1 through 4 hitters are strong. They got a couple of hits, but he came back with ground ball and fly ball outs to get out of the inning. When we get a lead, it makes it easier for us to play.”

Heidelberg Academy (24-8) cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the fourth inning when Quimby singled, reached second on a wild pitch, got to third on an error with one out, and scored on a single by Butler.

“We hit the ball right at everybody,” Freeze said. “They got the key hits when they needed them and we didn’t.”

The Saints got back that run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Easom singled, went to second on a bunt single by Dossett, stole third and scored on a sacrifice fly to left field by Brumfield.

Then in the bottom of the sixth, Taylor Hinson singled and Kent King walked. With two outs, Easom hit a fly ball that second baseman Scott Brady couldn’t hold on to, allowing Hinson to score to make it a 4-1 game.

Heidelberg had only two batters reach base in the final three innings, but neither of them got base second base. Second baseman Easom made a great sliding catch of a fly ball to right centerfield by Butler to for the second out of the top of the sixth and Walters was tagged out by Barnes at first base after he hit a ground ball to shortstop Freeman for the second out in the top of the seventh.

Quimby and Butler each went 2-for-3 for the Rebels. The only other hit Godfrey allowed was a single by No. 9 hitter Mason Turner in the top of the sixth. Godfrey struck out two and walked just one.