By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

A state championship is on the minds of prep baseball and softball players and coaches this week in the “Southern Six” as all seven classifications will be involved in their respective region races.

Getting to Trustmark Park in Pearl is the ultimate goal for every prep baseball player on every team in the state of Mississippi when the season tips off. And playing well in region action and earning a top four seed is the first step.

Getting to Hattiesburg at The University of Southern Mississippi is the ultimate goal for every prep softball player on every team in the state of Mississippi when the season tips off. And playing well in region action and earning a top four seed is the first step.

Each week until the overall state tournaments starts in mid-May, SouthMiss6 Sports will be the place to be to keep up with the most complete and comprehensive info about all things prep baseball and prep softball featuring stories and photos in the “Southern Six” counties of the state of Mississippi.

Each week, on Tuesday, we will take a look at at least five players and five games to keep an eye on as well as release our weekly “Super 7 in the Southern 6” polls.

Around the Diamond in the “Southern 6”

This week’s “Around the Diamond in the Southern 6” players list is comprised of some of the area standouts in prep baseball that came up big for their respective teams in their respective region action and one prep softball standout as well.

1. Jaxson Knight, Hancock — In a three game sweep of Gautier, Knight continued his impressive senior season with six hits and nine RBIs, including a pair of home runs, in just two games as the Hawks moved to a perfect 9-0 in the loop and a solid 19-2 overall. He also tossed a complete game one-hitter,allowing no earned runs, and had nine strikeouts in a 9-2 win. Knight is in the midst of one of the most successful senior seasons in Hancock school history, and his versatility over the athletic spectrum for multiple Hawks programs has propelled the HHS baseball team to one of its most successful seasons in team history.
2. Willie Sims, Pascagoula —  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. On Friday night, Panther senior hurler 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. 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.
3. Tavion Collier, Gulfport— The Admirals bounced back from a rough week before in fine fashion last week by completing a three game sweep of arch-rival Biloxi Friday afternoon with a close 1-0 win here at The Biloxi High Sports Complex. Bash Plummer singled for the Admirals to start the top of the third and he came around to score on an RBI-ground out by Kamden Kelly for the only run of the game. And that would be all Gulfport starting pitcher Collier would need, as he hurled a complete game shutout, scattering five hits. The trio of wins in Region 4-7A play allow the Admirals to sail back into contention for a shot at homefield advantage in the opening round of the upcoming Class 7A South State playoffs, as they move to 8-4 in the region race and 13-9 overall.
4. Philip Lauchassee, Resurrection — Resurrection jumped right back into the Region 8-1A race last week thanks in large part to a impressive pitching performance from Lauchassee. The Eagles got a complete game, no-hit shutout from the senior hurler as RCS blanked Lumberton on the road 2-0 in league play, as Lauchassee was dominant from start to finish striking out 10 in the milestone outing. He faced just 25 Panther batters.
5. (Softball) Bayli Cucinello, Pearl River Central — The Lady Blue Devils took over the top spot in the Region 4-6A standings with a sweep of defending champ Hancock last week, and the senior Cucinello played a major role. She picked up both pitching wins with complete game outings in the circle, and also posted a double at the plate and drove in two runs in the 5-2 and 4-3 decisions.

This Week’s Games:

1. D’Iberville at Ocean Springs — Tuesday night in a key Region 4-7A game.
2. Gulfport at St. Martin— Tuesday night in Region 4-7A action.
3. (Softball) D’Iberville at Ocean Springs — Thursday in a big in Region 4-7A match-up.
4. (Softball) West Jones at George County — Thursday night in a key Region 3-6A showdown.
5. East Central at Vancleave — Saturday afternoon in a major Region 4-5A game.

South Miss 6 Sports Super 7 Polls

Super 7 in the Southern 6 Prep baseball and softball Polls!!!!

(April 7th edition)

(Our weekly polls are the ONLY ones in the state of Mississippi that’s voted solely on by a panel of head baseball and softball coaches)

Baseball:

1. Ocean Springs (20-2)
2. Pearl River Central (17-5)
3. Hancock (19-2)
4. George County (15-7)
5. D’Iberville (16-5)
6. Poplarville (17-8)
7. Gulfport 13-9

Softball:

1. Ocean Springs (20-7)
2. George County (17-6)
3. East Central (20-4)
4. Pass Christian (18-5-1)
5. D’Iberville (13-5-1)
6. Harrison Central (15-10)
7. Pearl River Central (13-7-1)