By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

GAUTIER — Gautier High School has fielded a baseball team for the past 27 years.

But on Friday, the Gators will make program history when they compete in their first-ever state playoff game.

Facing a do-or-die situation on Saturday as far as the state playoffs were concerned, Gautier traveled to Wiggins and pulled out a huge 15-4 win in Region 4-5A play over Stone County in just five frames to secure the fourth and final seed in the playoff chase.

Gautier needed the win over the Tomcats to make the playoffs or else Wayne County would have earned the final spot in Region 4-5A. The Gators now head to Ellisville to face South Jones Friday night in the first-ever baseball playoff game in school history to open the Class 5A South State playoffs.

“It’s a major accomplishment for these young men,” Gautier second-year head coach Deion Ulmer said. “We’ve talked about building this program step by step the right way and this was one of the first goals we looked to accomplish. We’re grateful for the support that we’ve received from the school and the community, and we need more of it moving forward.

Gator ace pitcher Brayden Johnson went the distance on the mound Saturday to pick up the win, as the Gators exploded for six runs in the fourth frame and seven more in the fifth to break open a 2-2 tie and keep their season alive.

“Johnson leads our pitching staff,” Ulmer added. “He’s been a guy we’ve leaned on all year for quality starts with the expectation for him to pitch deep into games and give us a great chance to win.”

Frederick Nicholson smashed a three run home run for Gautier on Saturday, while Enrique Flores had two hits and drove in two runs and Johnson helped himself at the plate with a pair of hits and a pair of RBIS also. 

Matthew Tanner is hitting .333 to pace Gautier at the plate, while Johnson is hitting over .300 as well on the season. Nicholson has a team-high three home runs and also leads the Gators in RBIs with 19, while Sebastain Goznaelz is third on the team in batting average and has driven in 16 runs and has five doubles. Tanner also has five doubles, while Ashton King is second on the squad with 18 RBIs and Tanner has driven in 12 runs.

“Tanner, Nicholson, and Gonzalez lead us offensively,” Ulmer continued. “They’ve done a great job throughout the year keeping us going offensively. Flores does a great job behind the plate controlling the running game, he’s been a huge spark for us consistently making plays all year.”

King, Nicholson, Christopher Nelson and Issac Lopez all have stolen at least 12 bases for the athletic Gators.

“Nelson and King cover a lot of ground for us in the outfield,” Ulmer said. “They are two really gifted athletes that have helped take away runs all year making plays in the gaps. Lopez and Darrie Slay have been solid infielders all year. They’ve made plays consistently behind a pitching staff that’s more so pitch to contact than anything else.”

Ulmer came to Gautier after serving as head coach at Laurel high for three seasons. He will now guide his Gators back to Jones County to face the Braves Friday in what will be a historic night for his team. Gautier will then add another historic chapter to its atheltic annals when it hosts its. first home playoff game Saturday afternoon as the Braves make the trip to the Gulf Coast.

Ulmer has taken a GHS program that went just 1-21 the year before he arrived and has them at 13-12 overall heading into the state playoffs.

Gautier’s first season playing baseball was in 1998.

South Jones will be a formidable foe, as it won Region 3-5A and stands a solid 23-5 overall. 

“This was the first of many goals we have here inside this program,” Ulmer concluded. “We’re happy to knock this goal down but we’re not satisfied or content by any means.”