By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Here is our daily “Battle at the Beach” update for Day 9:

BILOXI — Hancock led Oak Forrest Academy (La.) 3-1 heading into the fifth frame here at Keesler Federal Park Friday afternoon in the final game for both teams at the annual “Battle at the Beach”.

But that’s when things went awry for the Hawks.

The YellowJackets erupted for six runs in the fifth and added two more runs in the seventh to pull out a 9-3 win over Hancock.

Trailing 1-0 entering their first at bat, the Hawks immediately responded with three runs to take the early advantage. Roston Ragon had an RBI-single in the inning, while Jude Ulrich drew a bases-loaded walk to produce another run.

Brandon Arcement, who also scored a run on a passed ball in that first frame, was in control on the hill through the first four frames for Hancock, before the wheels came off in that decisive fifth inning.

Cole Covington’s two-run single was the key blow in the winning rally. Mason Bales then added a solo home run in the final frame for Oak Forrest.

Ragon’s hit was the only one allowed by a trio of YellowJacket pitchers, as Tanner Mulkey picked up the win.

Arcement took the loss.

Elsewhere on Friday in BATB action, home-standing Pascagoula fell to Warren Central 4-2.

The Vikings, who fell in the Class 6A state championship series to George County last season, never trailed as they scored solo runs in each of the second and third frames to take a 2-0 lead before adding two more runs in the sixth stanza to seal the win.

Maddox Lynch wielded the big stick for Warren Central as he accounted for three of the four runs for the Vikings with a two-run single and an RBI-single as well.

The Panthers actually cut the lead to 2-1 briefly in the bottom of the third on Sean Norvell’s RBI-single. J.J. Trinidad also had a run-scoring single for PHS.

Beau Bradley pitched just over five innings to take the win, while Knute Robinson went almost six innings to take the loss.

Meanwhile, at Biloxi High, St. John Neumann Prep out of Naples, Fla., knocked off that aforementioned George County defending Class 6A state champion squad 7-1.

Carson Pierce had two hits for the Rebels and Blaine Green added an RBI-single.

Pierce, one of a trio of GCHS hurlers, took the loss.

And, in D’Iberville, the Warriors slipped past Northeast Jones 4-2.

Both Carter Naron and Jaylan Johnson had two hits and drove in a run apiece for DHS, while one of Naron’s hits was a triple and one of Johnson’s was a double. Caleb West also drove in a run in the win.

Naron worked just over four grames on the mound to pick up the win as well.

Also, in Lyman, Mobile (Ala.) Christian beat home-standing Harrison Central 9-6.

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