By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

ETHEL — Resurrection kept its hopes for a three-peat alive Monday night.

The Eagles from Pascagoula flew into another Eagles nest and came home with a 9-8 win in the third and final game of that class 1A South State semifinal series. Resurrection will now play in its fourth consecutive Class 1A South State championship series, and is aiming to capture its third consecutive state title.

Resurrection was down 1-0 in the series after a 3-2 loss on the road to open the three game affair, but rallied back to take a 9-1 win at home on Saturday before closing things out Monday night.

“The last two wins say a lot about the makeup of this team and these seniors,” second-year RCS head coach Aron Frederic said. “With their season on the line and how they responded, not wanting it to end.”

Frederic’s Eagles jumped out to a 7-1 lead after three frames and stretched that advantage to 9-1 after five frames before the home type of Eagles countered with a seven spot in the sixth stanza to make things interesting.

Justin San Miguel smacked a grand slam home run in the third frame to make it 7-1 and seemingly give RCS a comfortable lead. He also added a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the win, and Harris Hinkle had an RBI-double in the three run first frame. Luke Schnoor had a run-scoring single in the fifth.

“The team was in good spirits traveling back to Ethel,” Frederic added. “Putting runs on the board early was crucial. We capitalized on some mistakes and got a big swing from San Miguel in the third. Got out ahead and needed every one of those runs to get the win.”

Ethel used two bases-loaded walks and a pair of hit by pitch with the sacks full as well a a two-run error by RCS to plate most of those runs in the sixth inning rally. But, after hitting the first batter he faced, RCS reliever Trace Tingle was able to get out of the frame by forcing a ground out with the bases still loaded.

He then returned to the mound in the seventh and despite hitting another batter and allowing a walk sealed the win without any further damage.

San Miguel wielded the big stick at the plate for RCS with those five RBI and that grand slam, while Luke Schnoor and Carter McCammon each chipped in two hits apiece to the winning cause. Hinkle and Schnoor each posted a double apiece.

Schnoor started on the hill and was breezing along until that troublesome sixth stanza. He did enough to earn the win and Tingle picked up a save.

It had been a tough couple of days for Frederic, who after losing game one on Thursday night he lost his father Gene on Friday. But his Eagles came through for their head coach and put tothere back-to-back nine run outings to come back and win the series.

“It’s been difficult, but we are fortunate to have a lot of support,” Frederic concluded. “The last few days have been emotional but everyone has been very supportive. We now look forward to playing for a South State Championship.”