By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

Just a few notes of interest as the sports staff at SouthMiss6 Sports arrives here at Trustmark Park in preparation for the baseball state championships.

PEARL — Not only is George County back to defend its Class 6A state championship, but the only prep baseball team in the state of Mississippi to ever win a Class 7A title returns here to Trustmark Park as well to try and retain its crown.

Brandon once again bulldozed its way to the Class 7A South State championship and will take on Jackson metro area rival Madison Central in the state title match-up.

And the Bulldogs have a bit of a “Southern Six” connection as well as they attempt to win back-to-back state titles for the first time ever in program history.

Brandon head coach Daniel Best is in his seventh season on the job, a role that he took over almost immediately after leading Vancleave to its first state title ever in 2018.

Last year, he guided the Bulldogs to just their second state title ever and the first since 1967. On this current two season journey to Trustmark Park, Best’s Bulldogs have eliminated four different Region 4-7A teams along the way including four straight wins over Ocean Springs, two over St. Martin and two over Biloxi. Plus, they have eliminated fellow Region 3-7A foes and perennial state powers Oak Grove (last week) and Northwest Rankin (last year) in two straight games in the Class 7A South State championship series.

“He does a great job, they are obviously very talented as well as very well coached and play the game the right way.” second-year OSHS head coach Ryne Long said, of Best. “Those guys are tough in every phase of the game. It’s certainly no surprise they are back to defend their title this year. He’s built an exceptional program since taking over.”

Also, Best has family ties to the Coast. He is married to Lyndsey Castleman Best, who is from Biloxi and whose brother Steven Castleman also played baseball at Southern Miss.

Back to College

And speaking of Best, he’s one of two former standout pitchers at the University of Southern Mississippi that is leading a team into the state baseball championship here in Rankin County this week.

Best was a standout pitcher at Southern Miss from 2003-06, earning an All-American nod as a closer his junior year. He played a season in the Kansas City Royals system before moving into coaching.

In addition to Best, South Jones head coach Mason Strickland was a mainstay on the mound for the Golden Eagles also. Strickland has guided the Braves to the Class 5A state championship round where they’ll face Lafayette this week.

One of Strickland’s biggest outings at USM came in the “Southern Six”, a three-hit, complete-game 6-0 shutout over Charlotte in late May of 2018 in the Conference USA Tournament taking place at MGM Park in Biloxi.

That win propelled the Golden Eagles to the championship game later that day, and also helped Strickland earn Conference USA Tournament Most Valuable Player that year.

Strickland is in his third season at the helm of his alma mater, and has led the Braves to their first state title round appearance in 41 years.

Sail on Commodores

In addition to George County and Brandon, Strickland’s SJHS team will face another team that’s also making a return trip to Trustmark Park to play for a state title for the second straight season.

Lafayette is back again in Class 5A, after coming up just short to Vancleave last season in three games in the state title match-up.

The Commodores sailed on down the line again to compete for the state crown for the third time in the past six seasons, starting in 2019. Lafayette’s only state title was won in 2006.