by Hunter Dawkins, Publisher/Owner – thegazebogazette@gmail.com
With five runs in the bottom of the first inning, Gulf Coast Ace & Southern Miss signee Peyton Lacy throwing on the mound, and baseball fields three hours apart from each other, the first round MHSAA 4A Playoff matchup between Pass Christian and the visiting Raymond High School was over before it even started Monday, April 24, 2023. The Pirates no-hit the road opponent Rangers in five innings and won easily 15-0 in Game 1 for the best of three series.
“I thought we started out the way we wanted to, we swung the bat really well, hit the ball well, and scored some early runs,” stated Pass Christian Head Baseball Coach Ricky Smith. “We took some pressure of the mound, even though Peyton pitched really well tonight. Brendan Necaise is going to be our starter Friday and we don’t want to take Raymond High School for granted.”
To start the game, Lacy helped himself at the plate hitting a double and knocking in shortstop Dylan Welter for the early Pass High lead 1-0. Briefly after, Pass Christian’s Quinton Emerick laced a line drive single which brought in Lashowen Laneaux, who pinch-ran for Lacy.
With three more runs coming across to end the inning on a 5-0 jump, the barrage began with the Pirates scoring 10 runs in the next three innings.
Lacy pitched four complete innings, allowing no hits, no runs, 1 walk and 10 strikeouts to earn the MHSAA 4A Playoff victory. The Pirates Freshman Wesley Jolley came in for the final three outs, struck out one, and kept the no-hit secure.
Pass Christian’s offense reached the bases 20 times with 9 hits, 8 walks, and three errors, but Emerick and Andre Gilberti had two hits a piece while Welter, Laneaux, Emerick, Evan Anderson and Mycanton Warren each scored multiple runs.
Game 2 of the series will be played Friday, April 28, 2023 at Raymond High School. The Pirates could advance to the second round of the MHSAA 4A Playoffs with a victory at 7pm.
