By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

After falling in exciting fashion to two-time defending Class 5A state champion East Central Tuesday night, Vancleave bounced back with a pair of wins over the next four days to take the three game Region 4-5A opening series for both teams.
The Bulldogs took the rubber match in impressive fashion 13-5 on Saturday night at home at “The Landing”. Vancleave also went on the road Thursday night and brought home a solid 9-4 win after the visiting Hornets had pulled off a 7-6 decision in 10 innings on Tuesday.

On Saturday, Tyler West, Hunter Harper, Layton Eder and Aidan Tapp each collected a pair of hits apiece for the Bulldogs in the winning 12-hit effort. Harper and Eder each had a double, while Harper had a game-high five RBIs and Eder drove in a trio of runs as well.
Tapp went the distance on the mound to earn the win, allowing 10 hits but just one earned run.
Porter Martin, one of four Hornet hurlers, took the loss.
Jaxson Cripps, Tony Tanner and Peyton MacLen had two hits apiece for East Central.
Prior to that win, two days before in Hurley, Asher Henley had a big day at the plate for VHS as he supplied a co-game high three hits and drove in a co-game high three runs in the 9-4 win. Henley had a double and a triple in the winning effort, while Hunter Harper added a pair of doubles and drove three runs as well and Tapp tied Henley for co-game high hit honors with three singles as well.
West went the distance on the hill in picking up the pitching win, scattering four hits while striking out eight and walking none.
Fisher Strickler took the loss.
Christian McFaul had a double for the Hornets.

Elsewhere in Region 4-5a play last week, Stone swept a three game series from Wayne County wrapping it up with a 6-5 win on Saturday in Waynesboro. Conner Tice hit a home run for the Tomcats in that win.
Also, Gautier swept Laurel on the road in a doubleheader Tuesday. The third and final game in that series was postponed.
So entering the second week of action in the region race, Stone sits atop the standings at 3-0 and Gautier sits in second at 2-0 with Vancleave sitting in third place and East Central in fourth.