TUPELO – Starkville finally ended its playoff drought on Saturday.
The Yellow Jackets survived a late Tupelo rally and won 8-7 in Game 3 of their Class 7A first-round playoff series. Starkville will face either DeSoto Central or Oxford in the second round.
This is Starkville’s first playoff series win in five years.
Taj Prater kept Tupelo hitters off balance in his five-plus innings of work. The sophomore southpaw allowed just two runs on three hits with five strikeouts and five walks. He exited after facing one batter in the sixth, by which point Starkville (20-10-1) held an 8-2 lead thanks to a six-spot in the top of the inning.
“I knew they had a strong lineup throughout the games we played (against them) during the season,” Prater said of Tupelo (21-9). “I knew I had to bring everything I could, keep the pitches consistent and throw strikes.”
It remained 8-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, and the Golden Wave offense finally came to life. J.P. Enis had an RBI single, Mason Ballard an RBI double and pinch-hitter Walker Brown an RBI single to make it 8-7.
With two runners on base, Brody Wilson – Tupelo’s best player – stepped to the plate. Reliever Bradley Cohen induced a flyout to right field to earn the save.
“That’s kind of indicative of this group. They’ve fought all year,” Tupelo coach Scott Gann said. “We’ve been in some tough spots, and they’ve always fought for us.”
Starkville opened the game with a two-run first inning. The Wave eventually responded in the third when Ballard and Wilson each hit RBI singles to tie the game.
Tupelo starter Mack Hardin went two-plus innings, allowed two runs on two hits with three walks.
Extra Bases
Big Inning: Starkville’s six-run sixth was highlighted by Will Moody’s two-run single, which he chopped through the right side of the infield.
Big Stat: The Wave stranded nine baserunners on the day.
Coach Speak: “That’s one thing that if thought was an edge we felt like we had, it was a plan on the mound, and Taj even extending himself much further that we thought.” – Monaghan
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