Jay McQueen's walk-off single lifts Brandon over Ocean Springs in 6A Playoffs

BRANDON — Jay McQueen was ready to go home.

McQueen hit a walk-off single to center to give Brandon a 5-4 win over Ocean Springs in 10 innings in Game 1 of their MHSAA Second Round Class 6A Baseball playoff series at Mark Vinson Field on Tuesday night.

Weather permitting, Game 2 of the series is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Ocean Springs. If necessary, Game 3 will be back at Brandon at 7 p.m. Saturday night.

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“I tried to stick to my approach, middle and away from and I got a first pitch fastball that I hit back up the middle,” McQueen said. “I was ready to go home.”

Brandon (22-6) took an early 1-0 lead in the second on a sacrifice fly by Doby Bartling.

Ocean Springs (18-13) tied the game up at 1-1 on Grant Russell's solo home run to left center.

The Bulldogs regained the lead at 2-1 on an RBI single by J.P. Abt. Mississippi State signee K.K. Clark had an RBI double to right center to extend the Brandon lead to 3-1.

Ocean Springs responded with three runs in the top of the sixth to take a 4-3 lead on an RBI single by Southern Miss signee McCarty English and a two-run single by Russell.

Brandon tied the game at 4 in the bottom of the sixth on a Diego Maddox RBI single.

In the eighth, the Bulldogs had a chance to end the game with bases loaded and one out, but Ocean Springs pitcher Cannon Hensarling got a strike out and a fly out to end the threat.

In the top of the ninth with one out, Ocean Springs’ J.P. Ford flew out to center on what should have been an easy sacrifice fly, but Jack Jordan left third base early and was called out by the home plate umpire.

Brandon's Abt led off the bottom of the 10th with an infield single, and Ocean Springs walked Maddox to bring McQueen to the plate. He wasted no time, lacing the first pitch to center for the walk-off hit.

Jackson Clark (5-1) got the win on the mound in relief for the Bulldogs. Maddox had three hits to lead Brandon offensively.

“I don’t think we played an extra inning game all year," Brandon coach Daniel Best said. "And the first game in the playoffs goes 10 innings. Heckuva ball game. Both teams had opportunities and pitchers found ways to get out of jams. We've got to play cleaner on defense moving forward and they did a good job of putting the ball in play. Proud of Jay for stepping up in a big moment and glad to get the first one.”

Hensarling took the loss in relief for Ocean Springs. Russell had three hits to lead the Greyhounds.

“We played hard," said. Ocean Springs coach Tommy Walker. "It was one of those where our best wasn’t good enough. We battled and had opportunities, but couldn’t get a hit. Now we have to bounce back at home and we’re going to play hard.”