Prep Baseball: Gautier deals Pascagoula a blow with 1-0 road win Thursday night

Gautier base-runner Caden Jones scores the only run of the game vs. Pascagoula Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director
PASCAGOULA — Pascagoula’s playoff hopes took a bit of a blow Thursday night.
After eliminating arch-rival Gautier from playoff contention Tuesday night, the visiting Gators did their best to return serve, niping the Panthers 1-0 in game two of the series here at Tillman Field.
The decision, when combined with a 5-1 Long Beach win over Picayune in Region 4-6A play Thursday night also, allows the Bearcats to bounce over Pascagoula in the region race and take sole possession of the all-important fourth and final seed for playoff purposes. Long Beach is currently 5-9 in the loop while PHS sits 4-10. Both series conclude Friday night.

Gautier pitcher Darrie Slay takes aim on home plate vs. Pascagoula Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula infielder Matt Dittsworth makes a play on a ground ball vs. Gautier Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

The ball bounces between Gautier infielders Robert Fernandez (left) and Herrion Figueroa as Pascagoula base runner Steven Avila slides into second Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Gautier infielder Robert Fernandez makes. play on a ground ball vs. Pascagoula Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

If the Bearcats win again, they claim the fourth seed. The Panthers need a Long Beach loss and a road win over Gautier to earn the playoff berth.
Pascagoula and Gautier were knotted up in a scoreless deadlock goung into the seventh inning Thursday night, when the Gators tallied the only run of the game on an RBI-triple by Devon Garrett, scoring Caden Jones. Jones delivered a one-out single in the prior at bat to reach base.
Gautier pitcher Darrie Slay, Jr., then trotted back out to the mound and completed one of the most masterful outings of his career, as he ended the game with two straight strikeouts to seal the deal.

In this sequence, Gautier base-runner Ian McInnis slides into second as Pascagoula infielder Willie Sims reaches out for a throw down Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Pascagoula outfielder Chris Rogers tracks a fly ball down vs. Gautier Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Slay’s complete game, three-hit shutout kept the Panther batters in check all night, and he struck out nine in recording the win.
Jones had two hits to guide the Gators at the plate, including a double, while Garrett had the game-winning triple.
Izayah Sims worked into the sixth stanza before taking the loss for PHS.

Gautier is 7-17 overall as the regular season comes to an end Friday night, while Pascagoula is 7-18.

Gautier pitcher Darrie Slay sets his sights on home plate vs. Pascagoula Thursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)

Gautier base-runner Darrie Slay dives back to the bag as Pascagoula first base man Aiden Perez reaches out for a throwThursday night. (Photo by Bobby McDuffie)