By Curtis Rockwell/Sports Director

LUCEDALE — The George County baseball team started the current season off at 0-3.
Now, though, the Rebels need just one more win to move on to their third straight Class 6A South State championship series.
Home-standing GCHS shut down Hancock 7-0 in game one of this Class 6A South State semifinal series Saturday night. The decision moves the Rebels of veteran head coach Brandon Davis to 22-9 overall, and a win either Monday night in the Kiln or Tuesday night back at home will allow his squad to defend their South State title for the secxond straight season.

The Rebels followed the pitching of starter Bradyn Havard to the win, as he twirled a complete game one-hit gem with 14 strikeouts.
“He increased velocity from the first two innings to the middle innings and was able to maintain his stuff all game,” first-year Hawks head coach Neil Walther said, of the Rebel ace hurler.
Despite the series being delayed for two days because of weather issues, George County still got off to a quick start. The Rebels jumped on Hancock ace Jaxson Knight for five fast first frame runs, including a key two-run single from Maddox Dunn, to take an immediate lead they would never relinquish.

Chandler Cameron’s RBI-double in the fifth ended the scoring and sealed the win for the Rebels.
Dunn posted a game-high three hits and drove in two runs to pace GCHS at the plate, while both Cameron and Peyton Havard each drove in two runs apiece in the winning effort and Harrison Havard had a double.
Knight lasted just one inning to take the loss.
Roston Ragon had the only Hancock hit, a single in the second at bat of the game for the Hawks.

After that, it was all Bradyn Havard, as he set Hancock down in order in five of the final six innings the rest of the game.
The Hawks now are 24-8 as they host GCHS Monday night.

Carson Pierce is expectd to take the mound for GCHS Monday night with a chance to close out the series.