By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

BILOXI — As Mardi Gras Day moves out of South Mississippi, the annual Battle at the Beach prep baseball tournament moves in later this week.

And, as it celebrates it’s ninth anniversary, the event has blossomed into one of the premiere events for prep baseball in the state of Mississippi.

Once again, just like last year, BATB is set for a 10-day run with all games being played in the “Southern Six” footprint at a dozen different venues.

Over 70 teams from six different states will compete during the event, which begins Thursday at Biloxi High School.

“Battle at the Beach is always a really fun event for all of South Mississippi,” Biloxi head coach Hawstin Buchanan said on Monday. “There’s always a ton of talent and really good teams that come down so it makes for some of the best baseball in the country being played right down here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during these next couple of weeks.”

The brain-child of former Biloxi head coach and now BHS Athletics Director Eddie Loftin, former Gulfport head coach Jamie McMahon and former Ocean Springs Brian Rea, BATB began in 2017 and has continued to grow and improve every year,

“The Battle at the Beach has grown every year since Coach Eddie Lofton started it when he first got to Biloxi,” Buchanan added. “It’s been really cool to watch it grow, and it’s a really great chance for people across the coast to see the baseball talent that our state and region has to offer. It’s also a great opportunity for teams and people not from our area to get to see how great of a place the Mississippi Gulf Coast is to live and visit.”

The Indians are once again the main host of the event, and games will take place at The Biloxi High Sports Complex on seven of the eight days of play in the 10 day event as well as at Keesler Federal Park on some days.

The home of the Milwaukee Brewers Class AA affiliate will once again host several days of action during the BATB, beginning on day two of the event when a trio of local teams will be in action at the field where the Biloxi Shuckers call home.

The action this year gets underway Thursday afternoon at two sites, The Biloxi Sports Complex as well as Herbert Wilson Park in Gulfport.

At Biloxi High, Catholic High of Baton Rouge, La., takes on Gulf Shores (Ala.) at 5 p.m., followed by the host Indians taking on Pass Christian around 7:30.

In Gulfport, the host Admirals take on Mountain Brook (Ala,).

On Friday, in day two action, the action spreads out a bit to four venues as Keesler Federal Park and St. Martin join in as host sites.

In all, six games over three days will take place at the home of the Shuckers. Games will take place on Friday, March 7, Thursday, March 13 and Friday, March 14, including a heated rivalry matchup between Biloxi and D’Iberville playing for the “Tomahwk Cup” Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

That game will be preceded by defending Class 6A Mississippi state champion George County taking on those Bears of Baton Rouge Catholic High at 5 p.m.