SOUTH MISS 6 SPORTS

April 5, 2026

Prep Baseball: Panthers bounce back into the Region 4-6A race with two wins over Long Beach

Pascagoula pitcher Izayah Sims takes aim on home plate vs. Long Beach Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LONG BEACH — Pascagoula came up with its two biggest wins of the season in less than 24 hours at just the right time over the weekend.

The Panthers took down Long Beach twice in vastly different fashion in Region 4-6A play to push themselves back into playoff contention in the league standings. Pascagoula snapped a six game losing streak with a 2-0 win over the Bearcats Friday night at home, and then followed that up with a 19-3 thumping on the road of LBHS Saturday afternoon.

Pascagoula base runner Sean Norvel slides safely across home plate as Long Beach catcher Landon Tyre looks for the ball Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Long Beach base runner S.J. Valentine dives back to the bag on a pickoff attempt vs. Pascagoula Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Pascagoula batter Owen Estroso gets plunked with a pitch vs. Long Beach Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

The pair of wins move PHS to 3-6 in the region race and into sole possession of the fourth and final seed for playoff purposes in the loop. Meanwhile, Long Beach is 1-8 in the league.

On Friday night, Panther senior hurler Willie Sims turned in a complete game, two-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts to earn the win in an impressive performance.

The Panthers set the tone early and handed Sims all the support he would need with a two-run first frame.

Carlos Fernandez led PHS with two hits, and Niko Salvador drove in a run.

Long Beach batter Kaiden Brown offers up a bunt vs. Pascagoula Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Pascagoula base runner Willie Sims is greeted after scoring a run vs. Long Beach Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Pascagoula batter Sean Norvel keeps watch on a pitch vs. Long Beach Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Landon Carden also went the distance on the hill for Long Beach, andx took the tough-luck loss.

Braxton Clark had both his for the Bearcats.

Then, on Saturday, Pascagoula tallied a season high in runs scored in the 16 run win that went just five frames.

Salvador posted game-high totals in both hits and RBIs with three apiece, while both Matt Dittsworth, Owen Estroso and Izayah Sims each chipped in a pair of hits and a pair of RBIs each to the winning 14-hit attack.

Pascagoula base runner Matt Dittsworth steps on home plate vs. Long Beach Saturday afternoon as Bearcat catcher Landon Tyre looks on. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Long Beach pitcher Liam Myers lets fly with a throw vs. Pascagoula Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Pascagoula base runner Dereck Avila slidews into third base as Long Beach infielder Steven Baker applies a tag Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Allan Ritter)

Izayah Sims got the pitching win as well, as PHS moved to 6-16 overall.

Colby Decell took the loss, as Long Beach dropped to 4-18 overall.

Clark had two hits and two RBIs to lead Long Beach.