By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

CARRIERE — For the first time in over 25 years, neighboring arch-rivals Pearl River Central and Picayune didn’t face off on the baseball diamond during the regular season.

But the longtime rivals have made up for it in the postseason.

The Blue Devils host the Maroon Tide Monday night in game three of their Class 6A South State semifinal series with a trip to the South State finals on the line after each took close one run wins at home over the weekend.

Pearl River Central took a 4-3 win Friday night before Picayune captured a 5-4 walk off win Saturday night at Kent Kirkland Field.

The survivor of this series will meet either George County or West Jones later this week. The Rebels and Mustangs also face off in game three of that series Monday night as well.

On Saturday, in Picayune, the game was knotted up at 4-4 entering the bottom of the seventh when the Maroon Tide provided some game-winning dramatics.

Jamie Lumpkin’s RBI-double with one out plated Justin Stockstill with the decisive run as Picayune kept its season alive.

It marked the second straight home walk-off win in the Class 6A South State playoffs for Picune, which slipped past visiting Hattiesburg in the opening round 4-3 in 12 innings in their postseason opener.

Picayune managed just five hits in the win, as Landon Franklin smacked a key solo home with Lumpkin and Parker Helton both collecting doubles. Helton’s two-run double in the bottom of the fourth frame gave the Maroon Tide a 4-3 lead. Lumpkin also had two RBIs.

Landon Watts picked up the win with four frames of relief work.

Isaias Ryan had a triple and Brayden Lee a double for PRC, which managed just four hits in the loss.

Landon Lamartina took the loss, even though Lumpkin’s game-winning hit came off Conner Dyess.

On Friday night in Carriere, Dyess, Brandon Gill and Kendall Morrison each posted a double apiece in the winning effort for PRC.

Konnor Casnave picked up the win in relief with four frames on work for the Blue Devils.

Picayune ace Tanner Busby suffered the loss.

Kyler King had a game-high two hits, including a double, and Brady Robertson drove in a game-high two runs for Picayune in the loss.

The Blue Devils broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fourth frame when Morrison’s RBI-double scored Gill with what proved to be the game-winning run.