By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

A pair of Region 4-7A squads from Jackson County hope to stave off elimination Monday night and advance in the Class 7A South State playoffs.

Both Ocean Springs and St. Martin will compete in the rubber matches of their respective opening round series after each split two games over the weekend by winning at home.

The Greyhounds, the top seed in Region 4-7A, took a comfortable 9-2 win over visiting Northwest Rankin Friday night in game one.

Senior ace pitcher Jack Jordan was in complete control for OSHS, as he turned in a complete game worksheet to earn the win. He allowed six hits, struck out just two and didn’t allow a walk.

The Greyhounds overcame a 2-1 deficit with a five run fifth that included a two-run single by Justin San Miguel and a run-scoring triple from Jeremy Korn.

Jordan helped himself out with a two-run double for some insurance runs in the sixth.

Jordan and San Miguel both drove in three runs apiece for OSHS, while Korn, Jordan and Cannon Hensarling each had two hits apiece. A.J. Arguello had a double.

On Saturday, the Cougars put up nine runs of their own in a 9-1 home win.

Northwest Rankin pitcher Brady Saxton turned in a complete game performance to earn the win allowing six hits and striking out six.

Russ Ingram had a two-run home run for the Cougars.

Korn and A.J. Rossi each had two hits for OSHS. Tristen Fox took the loss.

The Greyhounds host the Cougars in game three Monday night at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, in St. Martin on Saturday, the Yellow Jackets punched across three runs in the bottom of third frame on a three-run triple by Kaden Walker and held on for a close 3-2 win to even up that series.

Caleb Lawrence had two hits in the win for SMHS.

Rivers Groue picked up the win with five solid stanzas of work on the hill, and Caleb Vierling completed the game to earn a save.

On Friday night in game one, St. Martin actually led 4-0 before the Bulldogs rallied for six straight runs to pull out a 6-4 win.

Jace Jones and Will Roebuck had two hits apiece for the Yellow Jackets and Noah Jenner drove in two runs.

Jonathan Bughman too the loss in relief.

The two teams reconvene in Brandon Monday night in game three.