By Sam Staff/Sports Writer

Both St. Patrick and St. Stanislaus will begin play in the Class 3A South State playoffs later week.
But the two teams will be kicking off the postseason in different fashions.
The Fighting Irish wrapped up Region 8-3A play last week by getting swept by the league champion West Marion in a home-and-home series that decided the top two seeds in the region race.
The Trojans thumped St. Patrick 13-2 at home on Tuesday and then traveled to Biloxi and grabbed a 5-3 win three days later to finish at 7-1 in the loop. The two losses dropped the Fighting Irish to 5-3 in league play, and erased possible home-field advantage in the opening round of the post season as SPHS dropped into a second place tie with rival St. Stanislaus.
However, the Rock-A-Chaws earned the second seed in the tie-breaking procedures due to splitting its series with both West Marion and SPHS.

In Tuesday’s first game of the series against West Marion, Trey Kopszywa had a double and Gunner Eure drove in a run with an RBI-single as SPHS managed just three hits in the loss.
Eure took the loss.
In the second game on Friday, the Trojans jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead after two innings and held off scrappy St. Patrick for the win.
The Fighting Irish managed just four hits in this game, and Cohen Weinhofer had an RBI-double.
Weinhofer also took the pitching loss.
The Fighting Irish will finish up regular season play Monday night with a trip to perennial Class 4A state power Purvis before beginning the playoffs on the road Friday night.

Meanwhile, St. Stanislaus is also wrapping its regular season up Monday night with a road game at West Jones.
The Rock-A-Chaws finished up an off week in Region 8-3A play last week with a pair of wins over Poplarville and then a 5-4 loss at Petal Saturday afternoon. St. Stanislaus will also open the Class 3A South State playoffs Friday as the second seed in the loop with a game at home as it sets its sights on a second consecutive trip to the Class 3A state championship series.
On Saturday against the Panthers, Wiley Mossy had two hits including a double for SSC and he drove in two runs, while Henry Nunmaker and Brady Wallis also drove in runs for the Rocks in the loss.
Jeremy Mares took the loss on the mound.