SOUTH MISS 6 SPORTS

May 7, 2024

Prep Baseball: PRC is last squad standing in Pearl River County after toppling arch-rival Picayune in game three

PRC base runner Wesley Russell glides home with a run Monday night vs. Picayune. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

PRC players dog pile in celebration after beating Picayune Monday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

By MAURICE SINGLETON/Sports Writer

CARRIERE — In the end, Pearl River Central proved it was the best prep baseball team after all in Pearl River County Monday night.

The home-standing Blue Devils toppled longtime arch-rival Picayune 7-1 in game three of that Class 6A South state semifinal series. PRC, under the direction of interim head coach Jarred Rodgers, moves on to face George County in the Class 6A South State finals beginning Friday.

Edwards took the helm of PRC about a month ago after longtime Blue Devil head coach Neil Walther was suspended.

Conner Dyess stepped up big for PRC Monday night on the mound, twirling a complete game three hitter while striking out none and walking two to earn the win.

PRC pitcher Conner Dyess winds in his delivery Monday night vs. Picayune. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

Picayune pitcher Kyler King delivers a toss Monday night vs. PRC. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

The Blue Devils erased a 1-0 Maroon Tide lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and then five runs in the sixth to secure the win. PRC out-hit Picayune 8-3 in the contest.

The game was scoreless for the first four frames, before Brady Robertson gave the visitors that 1-0 lead with an run-scoring sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth.

But that advantage would be short-lived, as PRC responded immediately taking a lead it would never relinquish with two runs in the bottom of the inning on back-to-back ground outs by Riley Wilson and Dyess to make it 2-1.

Picayune infielder Jamie Lumpkin side steps PRC base runner Kendall Morrison to make a throw Monday night. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

PRC’ infielder Parker Harper makes a play Monday night vs. Picayune. (Photo by Brian Edward Smith)

PRC blew the game wide open in its next at bat, as Sam Tuminello led things off with an RBI-single to make it 3-1 and then he scored on Blake Gill’s RBI-sacrifice fly to make it 4-1. J.J. Morreale’s RBI-triple made it 5-1, and Wilson singled him home as the lead stretched to 6-1. Isaias Ryan completed the scoring with an RBI-single.

Morreale had a triple and a double to pace PRC at the plate, and Wilson had a game-high two RBIs.

Jamie Lumpkin had two of Picayune’s three hits in the loss. Kyler King suffered the pitching loss.

Pearl River Central won Region 3-6A, while Picayune shared the top spot with George County in Region 4-6A and Poplarville did the same in Region 8-4A with Bay High.

But in the end, the Blue Devils are the final team standing in Pearl River County when the dust settled.