MOUNT OLIVE — Collin Hammons pitched a three-hitter to go along with 10 strikeouts and the Cathedral Green Wave got production from several players as they hammered the Mount Olive Pirates 17-3 Saturday afternoon.

With the win, Cathedral (16-5) defeated Mount Olive in the quarterfinals of the MHSAA Class 1A South State Playoffs two games to none and await the winner of the Ethel/Nanih Waiya series in the South State semifinals, which start next Friday.

As for Hammons’ gem on the mound, Green Wave head coach Craig Beesley said he was pleased that Hammons didn’t walk a single batter.

“Hopefully we can step up our level for the next round of the playoffs,” Beesley said. “We know each round of the playoffs is going to get tougher.”

But it wasn’t just Hammons who came through for Cathedral in this game. Ten Green Wave players who went to the plate ended up with at least one hit.

“I was glad to see us hitting top to bottom in the lineup. Kyle Bradley had a good series. I’m hoping he’ll stay hot for us in the next series,” Beesley said.

Bradley went 2-for-4 with a triple while Rudy Lazarus went 4-for-4. Hammons helped his own cause by going 2-for-3. Daniel Huffines was 2-for-3 with a double while both Thomas Garrity and Tyler Morrison were 2-for-4 with a double.

Blake Martin had a triple, Turner Janette and Caleb Upton each had a double, and Austin Chauvin went 2-for-4.

Cathedral jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning and that was enough run support for Hammons to work with. He held the Pirates off the scoreboard for the first three inning and the by the bottom of the fourth inning, the Green Wave held an insurmountable 11-0 lead.

“We got off to a good start scoring four runs in the first inning. We kept scoring in every inning (after that).”

Mount Olive did finally some offense going against Hammons in the bottom of the fourth as the Pirates brought in three runs. Gray and Ducksworth led them at the plate as each hit a double.

But the Green Wave responded in a big way by scoring six times to go up 17-3. Hammons then put the finishing touches on the series by keeping the Pirates scoreless in the bottom of the fifth.