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 the third week of region play last week:

1. Jaxon Cripps, East Central — Cripps, the Hornets standout shortstop, continued his impressive senior season as he collected.a pair of two-run home runs Saturday against Gautier and he drove in a game-high five runs. He also drove in two runs in an 11-0 win over the Gators Friday night, as ECHS clinched the three game Region 4-5A series.
2. Martin Shaw, Vancleave — Shaw, the productive senior outfielder for the Bulldogs, collected seven hits in a three game sweep over Wayne County in a battle for supremacy in Region 4-5A last week. He smacked a home run and drove in seven runs total in the series, as Vancleave moved to a perfect 9-0 in the region race.
3. Tate Murphy, St. Stanislaus — Murphy, the talented junior pitcher/infielder for the Rock-A-Chaws, also showed up big at the plate in three games last week as he collected two home runs among his seven total hits and he had two doubles and drove in seven runs as SSC beat Forrest County AHS 13-6 while splitting two games with visiting Pleasure Ridge Park High of Louisville, Ky.
4. Chase Sones, Poplarville — Sones, the versatile infielder/pitcher for the Hornets, enjoyed a productive three game Region 8-4A series against Moss Point as he went six-for-eight at the plate with five RBIs and he also started game one on the mound as Poplarville swept the Tigers to maintain a tie for the top spot at 8-1 in the region race with Greene County.
5. Parker Helton, Picayune — Helton, the senior outfielder/pitcher for the Maroon Tide collected six hits, including a pair of doubles and a home run, and he drove in five runs as Picayune dropped two of three games to George County last week. He also threw four innings on the mound Saturday as the Maroon Tide salvaged the series finale 15-9 on the road.

This Week’s Games (Baseball):

1. Pascagoula at George County — Tuesday in a big Region 4-6A battle for both teams.
2. Ocean Springs at D’Iberville — Tuesday in a key Region 4-7A game for both teams.
3. Bay High at Moss Point — Thursday in Pascagoula in a very important Region 8-4A contest.
4. Pearl River Central at Hattiesburg — Thursday in a key Region 3-6A encounter.
5. Harrison Central at Gulfport — Saturday morning at 11 a.m., in an important Region 4-7A battle for both teams. Also, the Admirals recognize the 40th anniversary of the 1985 state championship team.

South Miss 6 Sports Super 7 Polls

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

(April 5th 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. Vancleave 18-4
2. Ocean Springs 17-4-1
3. George County 12-9
4. Pearl River Central 15-7
5. Picayune 17-5
6. Gulfport 15-6
7. Poplarville 16-7

Softball:

1. George County 20-2
2. East Central 18-4
3. Hancock 14-4
4. St. Martin 11-8
5. Stone 14-7
6. Poplarville 11-6-1
7. Pearl River Central 11-6-1