Two one-run losses means that French Camp will start the 1A playoffs on the road.
The Panthers finished third in Region 5-1A and will play Vardaman, second in 6-1A, in a best of three series. The series is scheduled to open Thursday at Vardaman, weather permitting, with Game 2 at French Camp Friday and the third game if necessary at Vardaman Saturday.
“The weather looks pretty dreary for Thursday,” said French Camp coach Nathan Wright. Weather has been an ongoing problem in Mississippi throughout the spring sports season with numerous cancellations in all sports.
Ethel edged French Camp 3-2 and 7-6 in games that determined second place in the region behind two-time defending state champion Nanih Waiya.
After losing the first game, the Panthers needed to win the second game by two runs to finish second.
“We had our opportunities in both games,” Wright said. “We couldn't get the hit when we needed it.”
Ethel took a 3-0 lead in the first game with a run in the third and two in the fourth. French Camp scored twice in the fifth, but could not get the equalizer.
French Camp had four hits, including a single and a double by Holman Edwards. Hayden Langford had two hits, an RBI and scored a run for Ethel.
French Camp took a 6-4 lead in the second game with two runs in the fifth before Ethel responded with two in the sixth to tie the score. The winning run for Ethel in the seventh resulted from a passed ball on a strikeout.
The first two French Camp batters in the bottom of the seventh reached base. “We had two runs ready to go, but we couldn't bring them around,” Wright said.
Phillip Lucas when 3-3 for the Panthers with a homer, two singles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Zach Gilmer had two hits and an RBI. Alex Schuster led Ethel with three hits and three RBIs.
Earlier in the week, French Camp had two victories over winless McAdams, 22-1 and 15-0.
French Camp scored 15 first inning runs in the opening inning of first game. Ethan Wright had a single, double and three RBIs. Jarren Holmes pitched three hitless innings with five strikeouts.
Seth Box singled, tripled and drove in five runs in the second game. Holt Barlow allowed one hit with five strikeouts in three innings. The Panthers scored four runs in the first and 11 in the second.
