By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — Round one went to the King.

Defending Class 6A state champion George County thumped visiting Picayune 12-1 Tuesday night in a key region 4-6A game here at Claude Passeau Field. The win moved the Rebels into sole possession of first place in the league standings at 6-1 at just about the mid-point of the region race, while the Maroon Tide fall into a second place tie with upstart Pascagoula at 5-2.

Game two in this series is set for Friday night in Picayune at Kent Kirkland Field before the two teams reconvene here in Lucedale for the series finale on Saturday afternoon.

“I believe we played as well as we have in a while and took advantage of some of their mistakes,” veteran Rebel mentor Brandon Davis said. These two teams wound up knotted at 13-2 atop the region standings last season but GCHS took two of three from Picayune.

Game one was never much of a contest. The Rebels jumped ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the third frame before the flood gates opened on the Tide in the fifth when George County added four more in that inning as well as four more in the sixth stanza.

Grant Reeves ripped an RBI-double in that third inning, followed by Tripp Lightsey’s two-run home run that served as a harbinger of things to come.

Blaine Green’s three-run round tripper in the sixth completed the scoring.

Lightsey had two hits and those two RBIS for GCHS, while Canyon Reeves collected a pair of doubles and drove in a run. Cayler Havard added a double to the winning 12-hit attack, and Brodie Cecchi had two hits and an RBI while Carson Pierce drove in two runs as well.

Preston McAdory hurled almost six solid stanzas for GCHS to take the win on the hill, scattering three hits and striking out five. George County moved to 11-8 overall with the win.

Justin Stockstill had two hits for Picayune.

Kendall Blevins took the loss for the Maroon Tide. Picayune drops to 16-3 overall.

“Picayune is a really good team, just look at their record, and I know they will be ready to play Friday and Saturday.” Davis concluded.