A Day at the Races: There’s a first time for everything in visit to Oaklawn

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   Over the course of a 40-year professional career as a sportswriter, and a dedicated sports fan long before that, there aren’t many sports I haven’t had at least one personal acquaintance with.   Big-time football? I’ve been to multiple Sugar Bowls, plus several other bowl games, numerous New Orleans Saints …

Resurrection holds off Sacred Heart 6-5 to clinch another title in 8-1A

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   HATTIESBURG – A team that wins at the level Resurrection Catholic has become accustomed to playing does not fold in clutch situations.   And the Eagles didn’t fold  this time either, holding off a furious Sacred Heart comeback for a 6-5 decision in a key clash in Region 8-1A Tuesday …

PCS rides 8-6 win in DH opener to take series; MRA gains split in nightcap 6-5

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   HATTIESBURG – Presbyterian Christian got part of what it wanted Friday night, but wasn’t able to claim the prize it really wanted.   The Bobcats held off Madison-Ridgeland 8-6 in the opening game of a District 1-6A doubleheader at Bobcat Field to clinch the best-of-three game series, but came up …

West Jones drops mistake-prone Blue Devils 8-2 in 3-6A showdown series

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   LAUREL – Let the record show that there is no one named Murphy on the Pearl River Central baseball roster.   But there might as well have been the way things went for the Blue Devils in the second game of their Region 3-6A showdown series with West Jones, because …

Oak Grove outlasts Northwest Rankin 7-4 in Region 3-7A showdown

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   HATTIESBURG – After a couple of sub-par seasons, at least by its high standards, Oak Grove appears ready to reassert itself as a championship contender in baseball.   The Warriors used the longball and some clutch pitching to earn a hard-fought 7-4 victory over Northwest Rankin Wednesday night at Harry …

Purvis holds off Forrest County AHS 4-3 in Region 7-4A rivalry

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   PURVIS – Forrest County AHS gave Purvis all it wanted Tuesday night, but it wasn’t quite enough.   The defending Class 4A state champions did just enough at the plate, just enough on the mound and just enough in the field to hold off the Aggies 4-3 in the first …

Errors costly for Petal in 4-0 loss to NW Rankin in Region 3-7A opener

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   PETAL – It is an ironclad rule of baseball that the team that commits the fewest errors is the team that usually wins.   And that was certainly the case for Petal in the Panthers’ Region 3-7A opener against Northwest Rankin. Petal committed four errors, along with a number of …

Sacred Heart rides 7th-inning rally to 6-5 win over Salem in region opener

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   HATTIESBURG – For almost six innings, Sacred Heart did almost nothing good in its Region 8-1A opener against Salem.   But high school baseball is a seven-inning contest, and pitchers are limited to 120 pitches in a game.   As a result, the Crusaders were able to mount a successful …

Carey women face Williams Baptist in NAIA national regional in Kentucky

By Stan Caldwell stanmansportsfan.com   HATTIESBURG – All season long, the William Carey University women have been talking about doing something special.   And now they have that opportunity after being selected as one of 64 teams that will compete in the 2024 NAIA Women’s Basketball Championships.   The Crusaders are on their way to …