WEST POINT — After returning to the postseason for the first time since 2011, the West Point High School baseball team wants to make this an extended stay.
Sophomore Gray Berry threw a no-hitter Saturday night as West Point beat Cleveland Central 3-0 to clinch an opening-round series in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 5A playoffs at Taylor Stadium.
West Point (12-14) will begin its second-round playoff series Friday night.
The Green Wave broke open a tight game with a three-run sixth inning to win the opening game of the series Friday night in Cleveland.
For West Point, that three-run inning built the lead to 6-1. The Green Wave then plated a pair of critical insurance scores in the seventh.
Brandon Lairy had three hits to highlight a 12-hit attack. Bryant Robert Watson, Roe Ketchum, and Baker Watson added multiple hits. Marquez Carter had three RBIs.
Ketchum allowed five hits and three runs (all earned) in six innings to pick up the win. He struck out 11.
n Caledonia 10-5, Yazoo City 0-2: At Caledonia, Beau Bates pitched 5 2/3 innings with 12 strikeouts as the Confederates swept a Class 4A playoff series, winning the final game at home Saturday night.
For Caledonia (15-11), Seth Brown, Houston Mims, Westlee Honeycutt, and Hunter McMurphey had hits during a three-run third that gave Caledonia a 3-1 lead.
Jedarius Gore, Seth Brown, and Bates each had hits during a two-run fifth that ran the lead to 5-1.
In relief of Bates, Honeycutt had a strikeout to end the sixth and finished the game for the save.
For Caledonia, junior Cade Stacy threw a five-inning no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in Friday’s win.
On offense, the Confederates were held to four hits. A seven-run fourth led to the run rule after five innings.
Seth Brown, Sawyer Brown, Mims, and Honeycutt had hits. Honeycutt also had two RBIs.
n Tupelo 4-4, Starkville 3-1: At Starkville, the Yellow Jackets saw their season end with a loss to Tupelo in the Class 6A playoffs Saturday afternoon at Carlisle Field.
Tupelo (21-5) won the opening game of the best-of-three series by rallying from a 3-0 deficit for a 4-3 win Friday night at home.
Starkville (15-13) was held to four hits Friday night. Dee Petty had two hits, while Carter Bentley and Jack Perry had hits.
Austin Campbell pitched seven innings, allowing seven hits and two runs (both earned). Griffin Little took the loss.
The Golden Wave rallied by scoring twice in the sixth and once apiece in the seventh and eighth.
Jackson Owen drove home the Yellow Jackets’ only run with an RBI single in the fourth inning Saturday. That cut the Tupelo lead to 2-1 at that time.
Perry took the loss.
n New Hope 15-3, Senatobia 5-1: At Columbus, Payton Springfield scattered six hits and struck out six in a complete game-effort Saturday night to help the Trojans (23-4) sweep the first-round Class 4A series.
Springfield and Drew Pounders had two hits in the seven-hit attack.
On Friday, the Trojans scored nine times in the sixth to win by the run rule in the opening game.
For New Hope, a double by Springfield started the big inning. An error, wild pitch and back-to-back bases-loaded walks scored the next four runs. Pounders then hit an RBI single.
After another walk forced in another run, Springfield connected for a two-run single.
Bryce Braddock had an RBI single in the first to tie the game at 2. After a wild pitch broke the tie, a ground ball out by Springfield scored the fourth of a five-run first inning. A bases-loaded walk scored the other run.
Ryan Burt went the distance on the mound for New Hope.
n Hamilton 15-24, Leake County 0-0: At Hamilton, the Lions opened the Class 1A playoffs with a doubleheader sweep to advance to the second round Friday night at home.
Softball
n In local action, New Hope won its Class 4A series with a 2-1 and a 3-1 victory against New Albany. South Panola beat Starkville 14-2 and 8-2 in their Class 6A series, and Caledonia beat Indianola Gentry 22-0 and 24-3 in their Class 4A series.
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