Warrior train on the road to Jackson

By: Kirk McCarty

Staff Reporter

The Oak Grove Warrior baseball team has had what many other teams would consider a very exceptional season by any standards. The Warriors won a district title, going 9-0 in district play, which included a three game sweep of rival the Petal Panthers.  The Warriors finished the regular season with an impressive 24-3 record and first round bye in the 6A South State baseball playoffs.

The Warriors had to wait patiently to find out who the first contender would be between the Ocean Springs Greyhounds and the Hancock Hawks. Ocean Springs won the series in game three with a 6-2 win in the deciding game.

Game one was a much-anticipated game for the Warriors, who had been off of the field for nearly two weeks. The game was scheduled to take place on Thursday, but had to be played Saturday at Ocean Springs due to inclement weather. The Warriors came ready to play, scoring runs in all of the first four innings off of Ocean Springs starter Billy Cox. Junior left-handed pitcher Kirk McCarty towed the hill for the Warriors and, with exceptional defense, took a no hitter into the sixth inning before it was busted on a single off up a slider up in the zone. Senior utility player Jalen Haskin had a solid game at the plate for the Warriors going 2-5 with a double and two RBIs in the game, including a two out RBI in the top half of the first inning.  The Warriors easily got through game one, winning by a score of 7-0

Game two featured junior righty Taylor Braley for the Warriors and senior ace Wes Wendam for the Greyhounds. Braley has been a key part of the Warriors success with his stellar 1.67 ERA. Braley has thrown two no-hitters already this season.  The Warriors jumped on the Hounds again early striking for four runs in the first, but after that Wendam found his groove. The Warrior bats fell silent, and the Greyhounds countered. The Hounds scored five runs (three earned) over the next five innings to take a 5-4 lead after a two-run homer by Wendam. The Warriors, for the first time in the playoffs, found themselves having to work from behind.  They were, however, up to the task. Jansen Bounds provided the big hit of the game with a 2-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to score Jalen Haskins, who led off the inning with a walk, and sophomore Matthew Guidry, who reached on a controversial fielder’s choice. Colton McMurry then added another run on a sacrifice fly to left field that scored pinch runner JC Keys. The two run lead would be all the Warriors needed as Braley found his groove and pitched a near perfect seventh inning to earn his 9th win of the season.

The Warriors will face the Biloxi Indians, who swept the Brandon Bulldogs in round two. Game one is set to take place tonight at Purvis High School.