By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

VANCLEAVE — In a classic duel between two of the top starting pitchers in South Mississippi, Vancleave senior southpaw standout Hunter Harper shined.

Harper hurled a complete game one-hit shutout Friday night as his Bulldogs nipped visiting South Jones 1-0 in game one of the Class 5A South State semifinal round match-up. Game two was washed out in Ellisville Saturday night and is now set for Monday night.

Harper’s outstanding performance included seven strikeouts and three walks. He allowed only a single to the third Braves batter of the game, and he set down the side in order three times.

“That’s what he does. He gave us another outing that we are all accustomed to seeing from him,” VHS head coach Zac Haarala said. “He competed his tail off and made big pitch after big pitch throughout the game.”

Harper out-dueled Southern Miss signee Dylan Causey of the Braves, who was almost as masterful tossing a complete game two-hitter and striking out nine while walking four.

Martin Shaw’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the sixth stanza was the lone run of the game. Shaw’s key hit plated Aidan Tapp, who walked to lead off the inning. Causey had a no-hitter going for him until the inning before, when Jaxon Albert ended that bid with a two-out single for Vancleave’s only other hit.

Harper’s masterful mound performance and Shaw’s timely hitting has the defending class 5A state champions on the verge of the Bulldogs’ second straight trip to the Class 5A South State title series. Vancleave needs just one win either on the road Monday night or back at home Tuesday night to advance.