By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

PASS CHRISTIAN — Brendan Necaise struck out 13 batters and gave up only three hits in the Pass High Pirates 1-0 win over Richland on Saturday. The Pirates’ win evens the first-round Class 4A South State playoff series at a game apiece going into the final game in Richland on Monday night.

“He was dominant from the first pitch all the way to the last,” said Pass coach Ricky Smith of Necaise’s performance on the mound. “That’s what we needed out of him tonight.

“He’s a special kid, he’s a special player,” said Smith. “Tonight it showed why. He gave us a phenomenal performance.”

The three hits he gave up were all singles, the first coming against the Rangers’ first hitter of the night. The second coming in the second inning, and the final hit coming in the fifth inning. But Necaise kept the Rangers off balance, not allowing them to capitalize.

The Pirates would get the eventual winning run early in the game, scoring on a pitching miscue in the first inning. The leadoff batter for the Pirates, L.J. Jaynes got on base on a walk, then advanced to second base on an errant throw to first base. He would move to third base on a Skylar Summerville bunt.

Summerville’s bunt was mishandled, and he was safe at first base. When he threatened to steal second the pitcher’s move was ruled a balk, and both runners advanced, giving Jaynes home plate and the winning score.

“That’s who we are,” Smith said, of his team’s aggressive base running. “We know we’re not a phenomenal offensive team swinging the bats. So, we have to put pressure on teams. It was a call that could’ve gone either way. I’m glad it went ours because it was the deciding run.  I’ll take a win.”

The Pirates will travel to Richland for the deciding game at 6:00 o’clock on Monday.

“I love the way our pitching lines up,” said Smith. “Our two guys we are going to throw are really, really good, and we are competitive. It’s going to be a great series. Whoever makes the least amount of mistakes is going to win.”

The two pitchers the Pirates are looking to have on the mound on Monday are sophomore Wesley Jolley and senior Evan Anderson.

Pass Christian dropped game one of the series Friday night on the road at Richland 3-0.
A trio of Ranger pitchers combined on the shutout and to limit the Pirates to just three hits in the game.
Evan Anderson started and took the loss for Pass High.

The survivor of this series moves on to face Purvis in the next round. The Tornadoes swept Quitman in two straight games wrapping it up with an Purvis 8-2 road win on Saturday after shutting out the Panthers 5-0 at home Friday night.