By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

WAYNESBORO — East Central took a major step in keeping alive its long playoff streak Tuesday night.
The Hornets got by home-standing Wayne County 11-9 in a key Region 4-5A game to move past the War Eagles into the all-important fourth spot in the region race.
East Central is now tied with Gautier each with 6-7 marks in the loop, one game ahead of WCHS at 5-8. All three teams have two more league games left in regular season play this week to sort out the final two playoff seeds in the region for Class 5A South State playoff purposes.
“Every win gets us a little closer to getting into the post season.” veteran East Central head coach Bo Long said. “We’re still trying to get it all put together.”

The Hornets jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead after two frames and continually held of a scrappy bunch of War Eagles all game long.
Christian McFaul collected RBI-singles in each of those first two innings to get things rolling for the Hornets. Then, after WCHS cut the deficit to 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth, Mason Prouty’s big two-run double to centerfield helped ECHS maintain the advantage.
McFaul, Jaxson Cripps and Fisher Strickler each had a pair of hits apiece to pace the Hornets at the plate, while Prouty posted a game-high RBIs and both McFaul and Payton McLean drove in a pair of runs apiece in the winning effort. Prouty, Strickler and McLean each had a double apiece.
Brody Long, one of five Hornet hurlers on the night, picked up the win while McFaul finished up after the War Eagles rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh to close things out and get a save.

The two teams meet again in Hurley Friday night, and another win for the Hornets will secure a berth in the state playoffs for the 14th straight season.
Elsewhere in Region 4-5A action, Gautier fell to visiting Stone 5-1. The loss to the second seeded Tomcats dropped the Gators from sole possession of third place into the tie with East Central, although GHS owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Hornets.
Stone got a solo home run from Hunter Parker in the win, while Daylon Collins and Jhase Jackson each had an RBI-single apiece.
Anderson Hickman went the distance on the mound to take the win for the Tomcats.
Also, in Vancleave Tuesday night, top-seed Vancleave hammered hapless Laurel 15-0 in just three frames. Asher Henley had an RBI-double in the win for the Bulldogs, while Layton Eder drove in two runs.