By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Although neither George County nor Picayune knows as of yet who will be their opponent to open the upcoming Class 6A South State playoffs next week, both the Rebels and Maroon Tide now know the site for the first game.
George County and Picayune locked up the top two seeds in Region 4-6 with wins at home on Tuesday night, as the Rebels hammered Hancock 12-2 in just five frames at Claude Passeau Field in Lucedale and the Maroon Tide got a scare before slipping past visiting Long Beach at Kent Kirkland Field 7-5.
The decisions maintain the tie atop the region race between the two teams, as each sits at 11-2 in league play with two region games remaining to finish out the regular season later this week. George County holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Picayune thanks to winning two of three games in that series a few weeks ago. Both teams will have home-field advantage in the opening round of the postseason.

All four seeds in Region 4-6A are now set for playoff purposes after West Harrison beat Pascagoula to claim the fourth seed.
In Picayune, last place Long Beach led 3-2 entering the bottom of the fifth frame before Picayune erupted for a five spot to take a lead it would never relinquish.
Jamie Lumpkin got the big rally rolling for the Maroon Tide, as he knotted the game up with an RBI-single that scored Kyler King after King doubled. Then, with the bases loaded, Lumpkin came trotting home with the go-ahead run when Landon Watts got hit by a pitch to make it 4-3, and Brady Robertson followed with a key two-run single for the big blow to make it 6-4. Justin Stockstill added a run-scoring single to complete the scoring for the home team.

King also picked up the pitching win in relief of Robertson, who started and worked the first four frames. Lumpkin, the fourth and final Maroon Tide pitcher, earned a save.
Robertson had two hits and drove in two runs to pace Picayune at the plate, while King and Cooper Moreaux each posted a double in the winning effort.
Landon Vancourt took the loss for the Bearcats, who dropped to 1-12 in league play.
Will Brady drove in a game-high three runs for Long Beach, while Noah Williams had an RBI-triple. Kyle Huey had two hits, including a double, for the Bearcats, while Aiden Downey also had a double.
The same two teams will meet again Friday night in Long Beach.

In Lucedale Tuesday night, George County exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the third frame to stretch a 2-0 lead to a commanding 9-0 advantage and never looked back in staying in the lead for the top seed.
Ben Davis and Tripp Lightsey each had two hits, including a double, apiece for the Rebels, and Davis drove in a pair of runs in the winning effort. Jacob Eubanks tallied a game-high three RBIs for the Rebels also, and Cayler Havard also drove in two runs for the Rebels.
Jude Ulrich had a two-run single for Hancock in the loss.
Andrew Nielsen worked the five inning complete game distance to pick up the pitching win for GCHS.
Matthew Cuevas took the loss. The two teams will meet again Thursday at Hancock and Friday back in Lucedale.

Elsewhere in Region 4-6A play Tuesday night, West Harrison clinched a berth in the state playoffs with a hard-fought 7-4 road win over Pascagoula.
The game was tied up at 3-3 after the first inning, and at 4-4 entering the top of the seventh before the Hurricanes blew open the game with a three run rally to close out the scoring.
Hunter Ross had a two-run home run for WHHS, while Tyler Glazzier, Landen Wallace and Reece Parker each had two hits apiece in the winning effort. Wallace drove in two runs, while Jack Mann posted an RBI-double.
Griffin Wells had two of Pascagoula’s five hits in the loss. Jarad Loper, Denzel Melendez and Braden Smith each drove in a run apiece for the Panthers.
Wallace went the distance on the hill for the Hurricanes to pick up the important win, scattering five singles while striking out four and walking four.
Willie Sims, the third of three Pascagoula pitchers, took the loss.
The loss marks the third straight season that Pascagoula will miss the state playoffs after reaching the Class 5A state championship series in 2021 before falling to Saltillo.