By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PASCAGOULA — Pascagoula hasn’t missed the state baseball playoffs four straight seasons in over in 75 years.

The Panthers stand on the verge of extending that long streak.

After a pair of close one run decisions on Tuesday night, Pascagoula and Hancock sit knotted up for the fourth and final seed in Region 4-6A heading into the final two regular season games. The Panthers host West Harrison Thursday night while Hancock travels to George County.

On Tuesday, in game one of both of those series, Pascagoula nipped WHHS 8-7 and the Rebels slipped past the home-standing Hawks 9-8. Those results leave PHS and Hancock knotted up at 6-7 in the fourth place slot in the region race.

Pascagoula needs to do no worse than tie HHS in the final regular season standings to earn the final playoff berth in the region race thanks to a season sweep over the Hawks two weeks ago.

In the win over the Hurricanes Tuesday, Pascagoula jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first frame to take a lead it would never relinquish. Jarrad Loper’s three-run home run was the big blow in the early explosion for PHS.

Jose Ocasio later added a run-scoring double for the Panthers.

Ra’Shard Earnest started and took the win for PHS on the hill. Sean Norvell was credited with a save.

Both Loper and Ocasio had two hits and drove in three runs apiece to pace the Panthers at the plate, while J.J. Trinidad also added a pair of hits for Pascagoula.

Cameron Sandel settled down a bit after that fateful first frame and ended up going the distance for the Hurricanes to take the loss.

Carlos Pena had two hits and two RBIs for WHHS, while S. Powers had two hits and J. Gill drove in two runs.

The two teams will meet again Friday afternoon back at WHHS at 2 p.m.. West Harrison has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Meanwhile, in the Kiln on the same night, George County rallied from a 7-6 deficit in the fifth frame with three runs over its last two at bats to pull out that win and hamper Hancock’s chances at making the state playoffs.

Bryce O’Neal’s two-run single in the seventh completed George County’s comeback and provided the winning runs.

Ben Davis, Canyon Reeves, Brodie Cecchi, Blaine Green and Grant Reeves all collected two hits apiece to lead the game-winning 13-hit attack for the Rebels. Canyon Reeves drove in three runs, while Tripp Lightsey had a double and drove in two runs also and Davis had a double. O’Neal had the final two RBIs.

Despite blowing a save opportunity by allowing five runs in the fifth frame to the Hawks, Canyon Reeves recovered and with some help from his friends earned the win.

Chace Brown registered a game-high three hits for the Hawks and Roston Ragan drove in three runs, while Jaxon Knight and Jude Ulrich added two hits apiece.

Knight took the loss in relief of Ayden Howard.

The two teams will end the series Saturday afternoon back in the Kiln. George County, the defending Class 6A state champs, has already secured the Region 4-6A title.