By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

PETAL — Gulfport’s season didn’t end well.

The Admirals dropped their final five contests of the current campaign to end the year, including getting swept by Petal in the opening round of the Class 7A South State playoffs.

The perennial state power Panthers shutout home-standing Gulfport 5-0 Friday in game one, setting the stage for things to come.

Petal pitcher Jayden Madison kept the Admirals punch-less for the most part, allowing just five hits in the complete game white-washing to get the win.

James Van Slyke managed a double for GHS.

Fischer Howell hit a solo home run for PHS in the third to give the Panthers a lead they would never relinquish.

Tolar Raybourn suffered the loss.

The following night, Petal closed out the series with a close 3-2 win over visiting Gulfport.

Trailing quickly 1-0, the Admirals knotted the game up in the fifth on Raybourn’s run-scoring ground out that make it 1-1.

But the persistent Panthers responded immediately, as Howell’s RBI-single returned the lead to PHS for good at 2-1 and Easton Giger’s RBI-single added an insurance run.

That came in handy when Cooper Crosby cranked out a solo home run for Gulfport to end the scoring in the sixth.

Dane Sullivan had two hits for GHS.

Taveon Collier gave up all three Petal runs in four frames of work to take the pitching loss.

Cooper Giger went the distance to earn the win, limiting the Admirals to just three hits and striking out six.

Gulfport ended the regular season with three straight losses to eventual Region 4-7a champ Ocean Springs.