Vidalia, Franklin Couny still alive in playoffs, Natchez ends season

Published 12:00 am Sunday, April 29, 2018

VINTON, La.  — The Vidalia High School Vikings advanced to the LHSAA Class 2A Baseball State Playoff Quarterfinals Saturday with a commanding win in Game 3 of their second-round series with Vinton, 13-3, in six innings.

Vidalia dropped Game 2 Saturday morning, 5-1, but came back strong in the tiebreaker to come one step closer to a trip to the semifinals in Sulphur, La.

The Vikings tallied 13 hits in Game 3, beginning with a strong eight runs in the second inning.

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Senior Cam Rodgers went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate while batting in one run. Tony Tolliver and Dominik Harveston both ended with two hits to lead to offense.

Leo Lozano pitched all six innings to earn the win, while striking out three batters.

Harveston and Tristan Weatherly both went 3-for-4 at the plate in Game 2, while Peyton Fort took the loss in 5.2 innings.

The No. 9 Vikings (23-11) are set for another best-of-three series in the quarterfinals and are to play at No. 1 Kinder on Thursday and Friday.

MHSAA Class 5A

Second Round — Game 2

South Jones 7, Natchez 6

EILLISVILLE — Natchez High School baseball coach Dan Smith told his team Saturday morning they needed to play with something more than it did Friday night.

Though the Bulldogs came back fighting in Game 2 of its MHSAA Class 5A second-round series, they ended their season with a one-run loss to South Jones, 7-6.

“I told them they needed to play like the team I knew they were and that I had been seeing all year. We had a whole lot better start than (Friday),” Smith said. “We looked like a completely different team.”

In the fourth inning, South Jones scored two runs on the only Natchez error of the afternoon. Rightfielder Kelvin Jones dropped a fly ball, allowing the lead to sway away from the Bulldogs.

“It just slipped right out of his glove. Without that error, we would have had the lead,” Smith said. “But, I’m proud of them all. They could have easily given up and could have easily made excuses.”

Travon Henry ended a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate for the Bulldogs, while Jakel Barnes added another two hits in the loss.

Shavoké Herrington took the loss, tossing all six innings and recording five strikeouts.

Natchez (20-7) ends its season and will lose three seniors to graduation in Jatavis Melton, Tre Davis and Herrington.

This season, the Bulldogs claimed the MHSAA District 6-5A championship for the first time since 1999.

“Losing those seniors, that’s a big chunk of the pot,” Smith said. “But, I had a lot of young kids that stepped up. I really didn’t know how this season was going to turn out, but they have nothing to hold their heads down about.”

MHSAA Class 3A

Second Round — Game 2

Franklin County 5, West Marion 3

FOXWORTH — The Franklin County High School Bulldogs live to see another day in the postseason after winning Game 2 of their second-round series with West Marion Saturday, 5-3.

Wyatt Brumfield pitched six innings to earn the win. Dalivan Hunt and Garrett Smith each had two hits in the win.

Franklin County (18-8) will travel back home for Game 3 at 6 p.m. Monday.