By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

A state championship is on the minds of prep baseball and softball players and coaches this week in the “Southern Six” as all seven classifications will be involved in their respective region races.

Getting to Trustmark Park in Pearl is the ultimate goal for every prep baseball player on every team in the state of Mississippi when the season tips off. And playing well in region action and earning a top four seed is the first step.

Getting to Hattiesburg at The University of Southern Mississippi is the ultimate goal for every prep softball player on every team in the state of Mississippi when the season tips off. And playing well in region action and earning a top four seed is the first step.

Each week until the overall state tournament starts in mid-May, SouthMiss6 Sports will be the place to be to keep up with the most complete and comprehensive info about all things prep baseball and prep softball featuring stories and photos in the “Southern Six” counties of the state of Mississippi.

Each week, on Monday, we will take a look at at least five players and five games to keep an eye on as well as release our weekly “Super 7 in the Southern 6” polls.

Around the Diamond in the “Southern 6”

This week’s “Around the Diamond in the Southern 6” players list is comprised of some of the area standouts in prep baseball that came up big for their respective teams in the opening week of region play last week:

1. Hunter Harper, Vancleave — The senior southpaw pitched a complete game allowing 11 hits, three hits with a strikeout in the Bulldogs 15-3 win over arch-rival East Central in game one of that series and in the three game sweep of the Hornets at the plate he went 5-for-10 with a home run and three RBI’s.
2. Jeremy Korn, Ocean Springs — In a three games sweep over Biloxi to open Region 4-7A play the Greyhound catcher came up big at the plate as he went 8-for-9 with a double in the trio of Greyhound wins 18-3, 11-1, and 5-1.
3. Brodie Ceechi, George County — Ceechi blasted a big three run home run for the Rebels Saturday to wrap up a three game sweep over West Harrison in Region 4-6A play and wound up with a game-high for RBIs in the 7-6 come-from-behind win in eight innings.
4. Ayden Howard, Hancock — Howard had three hits in the winning 18-hit Hawk attack in a 14-4 win over Long Beach last week. He also picked up the pitching win for Hancock.
5. Justin Stockstill, Picayune — Stockstill posted game-high totals in both hits and RBIs with three each to pace Picayune at the plate in a 6-1 win Saturday at Kent Kirkland Field over Pascagoula in the rubber match in the league-opening three game Region 4-6A series for both teams.

This Week’s Games:

1. Harrison Central at D’Iberville — Tuesday at 5 p.m., in a Region 4-7A battle for both teams.
2. St. Martin at Ocean Springs — Tuesday in the Region 4-7A game for both teams.
3. Gulfport at Biloxi — Friday in Region 4-7A play.
4. Long Beach at George County— Friday in Region 4-6A play.
5. (Softball) Gulfport at Biloxi— Thursday in a Region 4-7A rivalry match-up.

South Miss 6 Sports Super 7 Polls

Super 7 in the Southern 6 Prep baseball and softball Polls!!!!

(March 25th edition)

(Our weekly polls are the ONLY ones in the state of Mississippi that’s voted solely on by a panel of head baseball and softball coaches):

Baseball:

1. Picayune 13-3
2. Ocean Springs 12-3-1
3. Vancleave 12-4
4. Gulfport 12-4
5. Pearl River Central 10-6
6. George County 8-7
7. St. Patrick 12-5

Softball:

1. George County (16-1)
2. East Central (14-4)
3. Hancock (12-3)
4. St. Martin 10-6
5. Biloxi 10-7
6. Poplarville 9-6-1
7. Stone 10-6