By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

CARRIERE — George County didn’t seem to mind having to travel to Pearl River County for the third time in five days Tuesday night.

The Rebels completed dismantling home-standing Pearl River Central 12-1 in the third and deciding game of the Class 6A South State championship series. The contest was resumed with the Rebels ahead 7-1 in the bottom of the fourth frame after the game was suspended because of rain Monday night.

“This group has done their absolute best to do exactly what we have asked them to do and they also now believe that they can fully do it,” veteran GCHS head coach Brandon Davis said. “

George County wasted no time in dashing any hopes the Blue Devils had of an epic comeback, tacking on five more runs in the top of the sixth after the resumption of the game. “Amazing leadership from these seniors.”

Cayler Havard had an RBI-double in the uprising, while Tripp Lightsey drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Andrew Nielsen cracked an RBI-double as well. A pair of runs scored on two errors by PRC on a ground ball off the bat of Jacob Eubanks. 

The Rebels now move on to face Warren Central for the Class 6A state championship next week in Pearl at Trustmark Park.

George County returned to Pearl River Central High for the second straight night needing to get 12 outs without allowing half that many runs to earn a trip to the Class 6A state baseball championship.

The Rebels lead 7-1 Monday night before the rain arrived after erasing an early 1-0 deficit.

After falling behind by that run in the bottom of the first, the Rebels used six hits, a pair of PRC errors and a balk plus a hit batsman to tally those seven runs and turn things around.

Gage Reeves’ two-run single was the big blow in the rally, while Tripp Lightsey added an RBI-triple and both Ben Davis and Blaine Green chipped in a run-scoring single each.  

George County starting pitcher Carson Pierce, who picked up the win in a similar game three situation against West Jones a week ago, was off his game Monday night and faced just five batters including walking Jacob Johnson with the bases loaded before getting yanked by veteran Rebel mentor Brandon Davis.

Davis summoned Brayden Havard from the bullpen and he quickly. recorded two outs to get out of the jam and then followed that up with three straight scoreless innings of work before the rains came. It marked just the third appearance of the yar on the mound for the sophomore.

Blue Devil starter Conner Dyess, who also picked up the win in game three against arch-rival Picayune in that Class 6A South State semifinal series last week, got through the first frame unscathed Monday night before being at the epicenter of the Rebel eruption in the second inning.

PRC won game one at home Friday night 4-0 before George County captured game two at Claude Passeau Field in Lucedale Saturday 4-3 to set up this rubber match. The series is a rematch of a Class 5A opening-round South State playoff match-up from last season that the Blue Devils swept.

“PRC has a great group of players who play extremely hard,” Davis concluded.

This will mark the fourth time in the past decade that George County has played for the state title in two different classifications over the past decade, but first trip to Pearl since 2018.