Choctaw County clinched second place in Region 4-3A with two victories over Aberdeen last week. The Chargers also dropped two games against Leake Central, a strong 4A school.
Choctaw County will open the MHSAA 3A playoffs this week at home against the third place team from 1-3A, either Kossuth or Booneville. Those teams played Monday, with the loser finishing third.
The MHSAA schedule calls for the best-of-three playoff series to begin Friday, but Choctaw County coach Andy Young hopes to move the start up one day because of the possibility of rain Saturday. “Some schools are already doing that.”
The Chargers will be on the road for the second game and back at home if a third game is needed.
Choctaw County defeated Aberdeen 15-0 and 8-0 to improve the Chargers' region record to 7-2 (14-5 overall). Both games were stopped after three innings.
Braden Hines and Austin Fulgham led a 12-hit attack in the first game. Hines was three for three, drove in four runs and scored two. Fulgham was two for two with a double and a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Austin Telano was two for two with a single and a double in the second Aberdeen game.
Brice Utley and Billy Ray Evans pitched the two games, each going three innings. Utley allowed one hit with seven strikeouts. Evans pitched hitless ball and also fanned seven.
Choctaw County was beaten by Leake Central 6-5 and 10-6. The Chargers led the first game 5-4 going to the seventh when the lights went out at the Choctaw County field.
“We had to wait about 45 minutes and I had to change pitchers,” Young said. “They came back to beat us (with two runs). We didn't play well after the light swent out.”
Adam Threadgill was the only Charger with multiple hits, going two for four, with an RBI and a run scored.
Telano had two singles, a double and three RBIs in the 10-6 loss to Leake Central. The Chargers scored four runs in the seventh, but the rally came up short.
“We played a really good Leake Central team,” Young said. “We fell behind 10-2, but we kept battling.”
Choctaw County was set to close out the regular season Monday with a home game against Nettleton.
