PEARL — The momentum couldn’t have been greater for Mooreville baseball.
Following a 15-run win in Game 1 of the MHSAA 4A championship series on May 19, the offense was coasting. But a sudden down shift with its sticks occurred for the Troopers the following day. Mooreville only mustered one run on four hits into the sixth inning of Game 2.
Despite the lack of offensive firepower, freshman Eli McDaniels and Mooreville coach Derek Thompson were not hindered. They both knew the bats would come alive.
And their offense woke up in a big way.
Mooreville (30-8) rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning with three runs to claim the 4A state championship, 4-2, against Poplarville (28-12) on May 20 at Trustmark Park. The Troopers won Game 1, 15-8.
“That was huge, man, and I never had a doubt,” McDaniels said. “Carson Hicks is a stud on the mound and laid a great bunt down. Cooper Goff got a great jump and scored. Everybody did their part and played team baseball. It was a big win for us.”
The title is Mooreville’s 10th overall in six decades, and it comes in four different classifications spanning across 1A-4A. The Troopers recently moved up to 4A following MHSAA’s new classifications.
“Baseball is not a one-man show,” McDaniels said. “All these guys on the bench are stars Nos. 1-9. They were hot all game and all series. Baseball is a team sport.”
Mooreville sophomore pitcher Hicks threw a complete game with six strikeouts and one earned run.
The series MVP went to McDaniels, who went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
“I was sitting there whenever they were announcing it, I said, ‘If it’s not No. 23, then it’s rigged,'” Thompson said. “Look what the kid did this week, as a freshman, we talked about that after the last game. It’s a big deal for a freshman. For us, it’s just another Wednesday. This guy is leading the team in hitting.”
Mooreville’s momentum wasn’t only fueled from Game 1, but from last year when Mooreville lost in the 3A championship after getting swept by Seminary.
Thompson hinted at Mooreville losing five starters from last season and the difficulty of reaching Trustmark Park in consecutive seasons in addition to a new classification.
“We lose five starters in the lineup, over 100 innings pitched, and then we go up a classification, and now we’re here,” Thompson said. “Winning a state championship, says a lot about the core, the guys that we brought back, says a lot about the kids that come and get in those roles there. I can’t be prouder of them.”
MHSAA 4A Mr. Baseball Wyatt McDaniels pitched 6⅔ innings with seven strikeouts and had an RBI at the plate in two games.
Poplarville’s Ty Keys went 4-for-7 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the series.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports, among others, for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X @MikeSChavez or Facebook at Michael Chavez.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mooreville baseball rallies late to win MHSAA 4A championship
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