By Maurice Singleton/Sports Writer

GULFPORT — The Petal Panthers held off the Gulfport Admirals in a 13-3 five-inning win in the first game of the 7A series on Saturday. The Panthers scored six runs in the top of the second inning and built a 13-0 lead before the Gulfport Admirals would get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cooper Giger would strike out six Admirals while holding them to two hits as Petal would take an 11-0 lead after three innings of play.

“It’s tough to come back when they’ve got a guy like that on the mound, Giger, really good arm,” said Gulfport head coach Myles Gentry. “It’s tough to come back when he’s filling it up, punching us out like that.

“I was proud of them that last inning, scratching for some runs there. Hopefully, that offense sees that they are capable of putting some runs up on the board and capable of stringing some hits together,” said Gentry. “Maybe they can carry that momentum into Monday.”

During those first three innings, the Panthers would record six hits to go along with six walks as the Admirals pitchers faced twenty-seven batters.

“Our arms have carried us here lately, and we weren’t good out there tonight,” said Gentry.

Carter Carriere started on the mound for the Admirals. He gave up four hits and four walks in one and two-thirds innings. Ty Palazzo came in to relieve Carriere, and he gave up two hits, a single and a home run and two walks over three outs. David Desharnais finished on the mound for the Admirals as he gave up a single.

The Admirals had their best offensive output in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring three runs as James Van Slyke got the Admirals going as he drove in a run off of a double to left field. Then Brant Rounsaville doubled to score two runs later in the inning to close out the Admirals scoring.

“They came out and played hard,” said Petal’s head coach Connor Douglas said of his team’s performance. “They’re starting to play well right now. You want to get hot at the right time. They’re playing the way we want them to play. They play hard and compete every pitch.

“Giger is the ultimate competitor,” said Douglas of his starting pitcher. “He’s really good. He’s still mad at me for pulling him after three innings, but we want to keep him fresh. We want to keep him ready if we go into a game three.”

Game two is in Petal on Monday evening. The series winner will earn a spot in the 7A South State series.