SOUTH MISS 6 SPORTS

March 28, 2026

Prep Baseball: Hancock completes three game sweep of Pascagoula with 9-4 win Saturday

New Hancock head coach Neil Walther (center) meets with Pascagoula head coach Colton Caver and the home plate ump pre-game Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

KILN — In his first-ever prep baseball head coaching job in the state of Mississippi, Neil Walther won seven region titles at Pearl River Central.
Now, at his second stop as the top man, Walther and his new team have their sights set on the same type of achievement.
Home-standing Hancock completed a three game sweep in Region 4-6A play of Pascagoula Saturday afternoon with a 9-4 win. The decision moves Walther’s Hawks to a solid 16-2 overall and a perfect 6-0 in the region race in his first season on the job here in the Kiln.

Hancock infielder James Steiler makes a play on a ground ball vs. Pascagoula Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula infielder Steven Avila makes a play on a ground ball Friday vs. Hancock. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock base runner Kanyon Cuevas slides into home as the ball bounces by vs. Pascagoula Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula pitcher Willie Sims takes aim on the plate Friday vs. Hancock. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock never trailed in taking the three wins over the Panthers, as PHS fell to 4-15 overall and 1-5 in league play.
On Friday night, Jaxson Knight smacked a two-run home run amongst his two hits to pace the Hawks to a 7-1 road win at Tillman Field in Pascagoula. Knight also posted a double, and Kanyon Cuevas cracked two hits as well, including a double.
Tripp Peterson picked up the pitching win with just over six solid stanzas of one-hit work on the hill, striking out 11 in the process.
Willie Sims took the loss for PHS.

Hancock pitcher Trip Peterson takes aim on home plate vs. Pascagoula Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula outfielder Izayah Sims tracks down a fly ball Friday vs. Hancock. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula infielder Brodie Merril goes low to make a play on a ground ball Friday vs. Hancock. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula infielder Steven Avila makes a play on a ground ball Friday night vs. Hancock. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

That win came on the heels of a dominant pitching performance by Knight on the mound in a 5-0 Hawks win at home on Tuesday, as the versatile senior mult-sport standout hurled a four-hit shutout striking out 10.
James Steiler had two hits and Jaxton Necaise a pair of RBIs in the winning attack for HHS, while Hayden Ladner had an RBI-double.
Matt Dittsworth had two hits for PHS.
Carlos Ferandez took the loss.

Hancock batter Roston Ragon keeps close watch on a close pitch vs. Pascagoula Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock base runner Kanyon Cuevas pulls into second after a hit vs. Pascagoula Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Hancock batter Lawson Head offers up a bunt vs. Pascagoula Friday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula pitcher Aiden Perez takes aim on the plate Friday vs. Hancock. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Then in the series finale on Saturday, a six run second inning by the Hawks ensured the sweep.

Cuevas tallied a game-high three hits to lead Hancock, and Necaise collected a game-high four RBIs.

Roston Ragon had two hits for HHS, including a double, while both Lawson Head and Carson Harris each added two hits apiece to the winning attack.

Sean Norvel had a game-high three hits to pace the Panthers, while Sims had two hits, including a triple, and Niko Salvador had two hits, including a double.

Gavyn Cuevas was the winning pitcher.

Norvel took the loss.