By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sport Director

POPLARVILLE — Poplarville and Forrest County AHS engaged in a classic match-up in the Class 4A South State quarterfinals.

In the end, home-field advantage proved to be the difference as the Hornets held off the Aggies with a 7-5 decision in game three Monday night to take the series and advance.

Poplarville also won game one at home 9-6 on Friday before dropping game two in Brooklyn 8-6 on Saturday afternoon to set up the rubber match.

Monday night, in the third and final game of the affair, Forrest County jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with three runs in the first frame and one more in the third before the home team mounted its comeback.

Poplarville bounced back with two runs in the bottom of the third frame on a two-run single by Brock Sheppard to cut the deficit in half at 4-2, then added two more runs in the bottom of. the fourth to knot things up at 4-4 when the Aggies misplayed a sacrifice bunt into a two-run error.

The Hornets then took a lead they would never relinquish with yet another pair of runs for the third straight inning in the bottom of the fifth to make it 6-4 as Braden Babiowski drove in a on a sacrifice and an RBI-single from Braylon Magee. Poplarville then added an insurance run in the sixth to make it 7-4 and seal the win.

Brock Sheppard had two hits and two RBIs to pace Poplarville at the plate, while Braylon Magee also had two hits including a double and he drove in a run. Emile Pace also chipped in two hits to the winning effort, while Ty Keys posted a double.

Braden Babiowski, one of four Hornet hurlers, picked up the win after facing just three Aggie batters. Pace started and went five frames, and Aiden Smith tossed a little over one inning as well.

Poplarville now moves on to face perennial state power Sumrall in the Class 4A South State semifinals beginning Friday. Sumrall dispatched Greene County in two straight games to move on to face the Hornets.