Skip to main content

Three of the four spots in the North and South State Finals are set in stone in a heated MHSAA 2A Playoff race.

On Saturday, Pisgah won a decisive Game Three over Bruce to set up a North State Final matchup with East Union, which swept St. Joseph with wins Thursday and Friday night.

In the South, Loyd Star and Puckett have a Game Three set up for Monday after splitting the first two in that series. Whoever wins will face Taylorsville in the South State Final next week after the Tartars swept Mize.

Here's a look at how those third-round matchups played out, and where we are headed into next week.

North

East Union def. St. Joseph, 2-0

Game One - East Union 8, St. Joseph 2

East Union put up two runs in the third, fourth, fifth and seventh innings to beat St. Joe 8-2 in the series opener Thursday night in Madison.

The Urchins got two RBIs from Connor Timms and Hayden Roberts, and Carter Phillips went the distance, allowing one run on three hits and five walks with eight strikeouts.

Harrison Mohead had the only RBI for St. Joe, and Carter Phillips took the loss.

Game Two - East Union 13, St. Joseph 3

The Urchins erased an early 2-0 deficit and scored 13 runs in four innings to get the 10 run-rule win to clinch the series Friday night.

Rudy Baldwyn and Chris Clayton each drove in four runs for East Union, and Baldwyn got the win on the mound.

Pisgah def. Bruce, 2-1

Game One - Bruce 9, Pisgah 1

Bruce scored eight runs in the final three innings to run away with the series opener in a 9-1 win Thursday night at Pisgah.

The Trojans got multiple hits out of Jayke Logan, Kennon Parker, Conner Starks and Austin Plunk.

Tatum Turner held the Dragons to one unearned run on two hits and two walks with 14 strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Game Two - Pisgah 16, Bruce 4

Pisgah wasn’t playing around in Game Two’s 16-4 win Friday night at Bruce. The Dragons erupted for seven runs in the first inning and rolled from there.

Austin Russell, Ryder White, Eli Still, Colton Coleman and Ian Holliday all had multiple hits and each one drove in at least two runs.

Russell had his worst start of the season, giving up four earned runs without recording an out, but Parker Prisock came on in relief and gave up just one hit in five innings.

Game Three - Pisgah 9, Bruce 6

Pisgah blew a 5-0 advantage, but regained the lead with four runs in the fifth inning and hung on for a 9-6 win to clinch the series Saturday in Pisgah.

Aiden Swales tallied a couple of hits and three RBIs to pace Pisgah offensively, and Bruce committed six fielding errors.

Pisgah made its fair share of errors, too. None of the five runs Bruce scored against Pisgah starter Austin Russell were earned, and it cost him the win. Ty Cothern got the win in relief.

UPDATED MHSAA BASEBALL PLAYOFF BRACKETS

South

Taylorsville def. Mize, 2-0

Game One - Taylorsville 11, Mize 1

Ty Keyes paced the Tartars offense in the series-opening 11-1 win in six innings Thursday night in Taylorsville.

Keyes went 4-for-4 with a homer, drove in four runs and scored two more. Aiden Moffett doubled and finished with two RBIs. The Tartars pounded out 12 hits.

Moffett got the win on the mound, striking out 11 without giving up an earned run in five innings.

Game Two - Taylorsville 13, Mize 8

Tyler Booth homered and drove in four runs as the Tartars stormed past Mize to clinch the series in Friday night’s Game Two.

Karson Evans homered and drove in two runs and Kelby Jordan doubled twice and scored four times.

Mize fell behind 8-0 early, but plated four runs in the fourth inning to make things interesting. Dylan Sullivan went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Loyd Star vs. Puckett (series tied 1-1)

Game One - Puckett 12, Loyd Star 5

Price Tullos paced the Puckett offense in the Wolves 12-5 series-opening win Thursday night at Loyd Star.

Tullos went 4-for-4 with two home runs, a double and five RBIs. Boo White singled and drove in two runs, and Waylon Sebren homered and scored two runs.

Matthew Boszor went 5.1 innings to get the win, allowing two runs on three hits and five walks with five strikeouts.

Colby Terrell drove in two runs for Loyd Star.

Game Two - Loyd Star 17, Puckett 7

Loyd Star erased a 6-5 deficit by scoring 12 runs in the final four innings to even the series with a 17-7 win Saturday night at Puckett.

Casen Dent, Wyatt Hodges and Blake Thornton each drove in two runs, and Puckett committed a whopping eight fielding errors.

But the Hornets made their fair share of errors too. Only two of the seven runs scored against starter Wyatt Hodges were earned.

Game Three - 6 p.m. Monday at Loyd Star