Davis propels Natchez High baseball past Vicksburg in season opener
Published 10:16 am Monday, February 20, 2023
- Bulldog Jaylin Davis. (File Photo)
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VICKSBURG — Jaylin Davis had himself an opening-game night to remember both on the mound and at the plate for Natchez High School’s varsity baseball team in leading the Bulldogs to a 10-4 comeback win over the Vicksburg High School Gators on Tuesday, Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day.
Davis got the start for Natchez High and struck out nine batters despite a rough start on the mound. He also went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and scored two runs as part of the Bulldogs’ 12-hit barrage.
The game didn’t exactly start the way Bulldogs head coach Dan Smith wanted it to, however. The Gators scored one run in the bottom of the first inning and then plated two more runs in the bottom of the second while the visitors managed just one run in the top of the second to trail 3-1 heading into the third inning.
The Bulldogs responded with two runs in the top of the third inning to make it a 3-3 game against Gators starting pitcher Green (no first name given). Neither team scored again until Natchez High pulled away thanks to a three-run rally in the top of the sixth inning, followed by a four-run outburst in the top of the seventh to go ahead 10-3. The Bulldogs also took advantage of four Gator errors.
Vicksburg tried to mount one last charge against Bulldogs relief pitcher Trylon Minor, but the Gators managed to score just one run off him in the bottom of the seventh. Minor pitched the final two innings and struck out four batters. At the plate, he went 1-for-4 with two runs scored.
Daiquiri Gaylor went 2-for-3 with one run scored while Jwun Mackey was 2-for-4 with one RBI and Martavis Woods went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
Natchez High was scheduled to play at Raymond High School last Saturday, but those games were canceled due to all the rain that hit there a couple of days earlier in the week and Smith said those games will likely not be rescheduled because they are non-MHSAA Region 5-5A games.
The Bulldogs improved to 1-0 and played host to Warren Central High School at 7 p.m. Monday before traveling to Liberty to take on Amite County High School at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Each of those games were preceded by the junior varsity game at 5 p.m.