Neshoba Central hits three homers in the seventh to down Ridgeland 6-4

RIDGELAND — Neshoba Central hasn’t been known to be a home run hitting team.

Well, they were on Monday night.

The Rockets used a big seventh inning that included back-to-back-to-back home runs to get past Ridgeland 6-4 in the Region 3-5A opener at Titan Park.

Neshoba Central (9-2, 1-0 Region 3-5A) and Ridgeland (9-6, 0-1) will play again at 7 p.m.Friday night at Neshoba Central.

“It was huge and we don’t quit and we tell them all the time when you get a pitch you have a chance. We got up there in a key situation and our guy got him one,” said Neshoba Central coach Jonathan Jones. “After that we got a couple of guys that squared the ball well and everything fell our way.”

The Titans scored all four runs in the bottom of the third inning.

With the bases loaded James Woody hit a bases clearing double to right center to give Ridgeland a 3-0 lead. The Titans added the fourth run on a wild pitch to take a 4-0 lead.

Neshoba Central got on the board in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Demarkez West to cut the Ridgeland lead to 4-1.

In the seventh inning with one out — and after back to back batters reached base on hit by pitches — Neshoba Central’s Pepper Agent hit a three-run home run to left to tie the game 4-4.

Reid Hall followed with a solo shot to left to give the Rockets a 5-4 lead and R.B. Hardin followed with a solo shot to left to give Neshoba Central the 6-4 lead.

Hall, a East Central Community College commit, had three hits to lead the Rockets offensively.

“We got runners on when we needed and we were able to get those three big ones,” Hall said. “I have never seen three home runs in a row. We were struggling early, but still had energy and to come back to get this one is big.”

Sanders Griffis (1-0) got the win on the mound in relief for Neshoba Central.

“We were able to grind out at-bats and get in their bullpen and when we do that we have a chance,” Jones said. “This is big district win for us on the road, but we know we got to be ready for Friday. Ridgeland is a good team.”

Parker Ishee (1-3) took the loss on the mound in relief for Ridgeland.

“We opened the door for them and they made us pay for it,” said Ridgeland coach Chris Peden. “You can’t do that against a good team, especially a good hitting team. We will bounce back and be ready for Friday.”