By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

Both East Central and George County picked up wins on the baseball diamond Tuesday night.
The home-standing Hornets thumped Long Beach 6-1 while the visiting Rebels whitewashed Vancleave 4-0.
The trio of GCHS, VHS and ECHS all are former region foes in Class 5A the past couple of seasons before expansion by the Mississippi High School Association created a seventh classification this year for the first time ever caused the Rebels to move up to Class 6A while the Hornets and Bulldogs remained in Class 5A.
In Hurley Tuesday night, East Central moved to 5-1 overall with its fourth straight win by bouncing the Bearcats.

Long Beach actually struck first, on an RBI-sacrifice fly from Colin Lyons in the top of the third that scored Aiden Downey to make it 1-0.
But the slight lead would be short-lived, however.
The Hornets came storming back immediately, posting a trio of runs in both the bottom of that same third frame as well as the fourth, to take the lead for good.
Jaxon Cripps tied the game up at 1-1 with a run-scoring single, and Nate Trochessett followed that with an RBI ground out to give the Hornets the lead. Tony Tanner’s ground out plated the third run to make it 3-1.

East Central put the game away with a big two-out rally in the fourth frame, when Trochessett stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and cleared the sacks with a three-run double to end the scoring at 6-1.
Trochessett, Cripps and Peyton Youngblood each had two hits apiece to pace the winning attack, while in addition to Trochessett’s big blow Matt McCombs and Christian McFaul each collected a double as well. Trochessett recorded a game-high four RBIs.
Downey’s single in the sixth was the only hit for Long Beach, as a trio of Hornet hurlers combined on a one-hitter.
Tanner started and took the win, working a hitless five frames while striking out 11, walking four and allowing the lone run. Brody Long and Fisher Strickland each tossed an inning of relief in the win for ECHS.
Noah Williams went the distance for Long Beach and took the loss.
Both squads meet again Friday night in Long Beach.

Meanwhile, in Vancleave Tuesday night, George County also received an impressive pitching performance from a pair of moundsmen as Andrew Nielsen and Canyon Reeves combined on a five-hit shutout in the 4-0 win.
Nielsen started and hurled the first six stanzas, scattering the five singles while striking out two and walking one in picking up the win.
Reeves came in and struck out two in his one frame of work in the seventh to close things out.
Blaine Green and Tripp Lightsey both had a pair of hits apiece to lead the way for the Rebels, while Gage Reeves and Joacob Eubanks each posted RBI-singles.
Asher Henley collected a pair of hits for Vancleave.
George County moved to 4-0 on the young season with the win, while Vancleave fell to 3-2. Both teams meet again in Lucedale Thursday night.
The Bulldogs were coming off a big 12-2 home win over Forrest County AHS on Saturday afternoon. Tyler West’s two-run home run ended the game early with a two run home run to end close it out in the bottom the sixth.
West and Robert Tinson wielded the big sticks on the day for the Bulldogs, with each collecting a game-high three hits. West had a double to go with his two run round tripper, while Tinson drove in a game-high three runs with a trio of run-scoring singles in the winning 10 hit attack.
Hunter Harper went the distance on the hill to pick up the win for the Bulldogs.
Also, George County was coming off a win over the weekend as well, beating arch-rival Greene County 5-4 as Cayler Havard drove in a pair of runs for the Rebels and Lightsey had two hits while Canyon Reeves earned the win.