By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

HURLEY — A pair of “Southern Six” squads off to petty quick starts on the young season faced off Saturday afternoon as two-time defending state champion stepped up in class against bigger Biloxi.
A late surge pushed the Hornets past the Indians and resulted in Biloxi’s first loss of the year.
Mason Prouty’s two-out two-run single was the big blow in a three-run fifth frame, as the home team pulled out a 5-1 win. The decision moved the Hornets to 4-1 overall while the Class 7A Indians fell to 3-1 after opening the current campaign with three straight wins.
The Hornets lost seven starters off last years Class 5A state title winning team.

“Getting off to a good start (as far as the record goes) was more important this year than ever,” veteran Hornets mentor Bo Long said. “With so many new faces in the lineup, they needed to see that they know how to find ways to win games and they’ve done a great job of that so far.”
With the game knotted up at 1-1 entering the bottom of the fifth Saturday, Tony Tanner’s RBI-sacrifice fly put ECHS up 2-1. Three batters later, after Nate Trochessett drew a walk and Matt Combs was hit by a pitch, Prouty came through with his clutch hit in that key situation to help seal the win.
The Hornets never trailed in the contest, after taking a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning after Combs looped a ball into rightfield that was misplayed by the Biloxi defense allowing Jaxon Cripps to score. Cripps reached base on an error as well to lead off the frame.
Biloxi bounced back immediately in the top of the second stanza, as Chase Delaughter brought home Robbie Hokamp with a run-scoring sacrifice fly of his own to make it 1-1.
Starting pitchers Cody Baria of East Central and Will Miles of Biloxi then locked into a pitcher’s duel over the next few innings setting up the climactic fifth frame.

Peyton Youngblood hammered a solo home run over the left field fence to lead off the sixth inning to give the Hornets a little insurance and end the scoring.
Baria took the win with five innings of work, scattering a pair of singles and striking out six.
Miles went the distance and suffered the loss, allowing six hits and striking out seven.
Youngblood’s round-tripper was the only extra base hit on the day for either squad.
“The win against Biloxi was a big one,” Long added. “Biloxi is always going to be a well-coached, talented team. Beating a team of that caliber is huge for confidence down the road.”
East Central was coming off a two-game sweep of West Harrison earlier in the week, including a 2-1 home win Friday night and an 8-0 shutout road decision on Tuesday.
In the first game, Tanner picked up the win as he, Fisher Strickler and Porter Martin all combined on a two-hitter. Cripps had a pair of doubles in the winning attack, while Blake Hayes posted a game-high two hits including an RBI double.

Jordan Stapleton had a double for the Hurricanes, while WHHS starter Landon Wallace took the loss.
On Friday night, Tanner drew a two-out bases-loaded walk to literally walk off with the win. Stricker took the win, and West Harrison starter Hunter Ross took the hard luck loss.
Tyler Gazzier replaced Ross with one out in the bottom of the seventh and recorded a strike out before walking Tanner to end the game.
Tanner had a game-high two hits, while Jack Mann and Reese Parker collected a double apiece for the Hurricanes.
Next up for ECHS is a home game against Long Beach Tuesday night, while Biloxi travels to Petal on the same night.
After the pair of losses to ECHS earlier in the week, West Harrison wrapped up the week with its second consecutive one run road loss falling to St. Patrick 10-9 Saturday afternoon.
The Fighting Irish overcame a 9-3 deficit with four runs in the fifth frame and three more in the sixth stanza to secure the comeback win.
John Hay, Austin Knapp and Ayden Lee all drove in two runs apiece SPHS in the win, while Carson Kilpatrick had a triple and Alden Williams had a double.
Wallace had a game-high three hits for the Hurricanes, while Ross drove in a game-high three runs and had a double. Cameron Sandel had a double as well for WHHS.
West Harrison is back in action Friday night hosting Moss Point.