By SAM STAFF/Sports Writer

BILOXI — St. Patrick begins play in the Class 3A South State championship series Thursday night.

The Lady Irish heads to Wesson High School to begin the best-of-three affair with a trip to the overall state championship round in Hattiesburg next week on the line.

Game two will take place at SPHS on Friday night.

St. Patrick moved into the South State title tilt thanks to a comfortable two game sweep of Jefferson Davis County last week in the Class 3A South State Semifinal round. Head coach Ted Williams, has his SPHS squad sitting at 20-12 overall on the season.

The Lady Irish opened the series against JDC with a 15-1 win at home before winning game two on the road 13-1.

In game one, SPHS banged out 15 hits in scoring those 15 runs led by Sophia Oehms and Tara Nasakaitis who each had three hits and drove in two runs apiece. Each also had a double, and versatile senior standout Brooklyn Mitchell also supplied three hits to the winning effort. Allee Bennett and Maggie Buckley each had two hits apiece and drove in three runs each, while Bennett and Mitchell posted triples. 

Peyton Parks picked up the pitching win.

In game two, Addison Duprey led SPHS offensively with a pair of hits a game-high three RBIs. Mitchell collected two hits and drove in two runs, while Nasakaitis also had two hits including a triple. Elizabeth Colson and Zoriah Martin each posted a double apiece in the win for the Lady Irish, while both Buckley and Martin drove in two runs apiece.

Bennett picked up the pitching win.