West Lauderdale's loss to Purvis breaks championship win streak

Jun. 5—West Lauderdale baseball won 13-straight state championships the Knights appeared in dating back to 1989, but that streak is now over following two extra-innings losses in the Mississippi High School Activities Association 4A State Championship series last week.

Purvis defeated West Lauderdale 3-1 in an eight-inning game one at Trustmark Park on Wednesday, and the Tornadoes returned to Trustmark on Friday to defeat the Knights 3-2 in 10 innings.

"It's amazing, coach (Jerry) Boatner at West Lauderdale, he won one out of his first four," West Lauderdale coach Jason Smith said. "Since 1989, every time West Lauderdale has been in the state championship, we've won it. We had a great series with Purvis, and things just didn't go our way. I couldn't be prouder of the boys and the way they played and fought in two extra innings games."

West Lauderdale (28-9) struck first in the top of the second inning when Hunter Russell hit into a fielder's choice that brought Kayden Peoples home from second base, but Purvis tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning after the Knights failed to snag a ground ball.

Another West Lauderdale error gave Purvis a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. The Knights were able to send the game to extra innings with a Peoples sacrifice fly that allowed Brett Busbea to score.

Ultimately, following a brief lightning delay, they fell 3-2 in the 10th inning on a fly ball that allowed a Tornado to score. West Lauderdale doubled Purvis' hits eight to four, but the Knights could not string them together at the right time often enough to force a game three.

"I do think we hit a few too many fly balls," Smith said. "But, at the same time, every time we hit it it was right at them. It just wasn't in our favor, and congratulations to Purvis."

Runs were at a premium all game, and the Knights could not have survived until the 10th inning if not for strong pitching performances by Caden Boswell and Carter Horton. Boswell tossed one walk and gave up just two hits in the first four innings, and Horton struck out five batters while giving up two walks and two hits in five innings.

"I thought Caden Boswell did what he was supposed to do, and when they were coming back through the lineup, we went with Carter Horton, and I couldn't be prouder of how he pitched," Smith said. "(Horton) did outstanding and kept us in the game."

Smith said he thought Purvis and West Lauderdale were evenly matched, but the Knights did not play their best ball. He said the loss gives his returning players valuable experience on a big stage, and he wants the loss to motivate his athletes heading into the preseason.

"It's great to get here and to have the experience for the younger guys to see the atmosphere, and it's been a long time in this atmosphere that we haven't won going back all those years, so hopefully watching another team win will motivate our guys this offseason," Smith said.

The Knights will have the summer off from baseball before they get back to work in the Fall, but many of them will still play travel ball. Once they do get back to West Lauderdale, their quest for a championship ring will begin all over again.

"It was a great season," Smith said. "We had some younger kids, a lot of sophomores, play. We only lose four seniors, so we'll have a good bit coming back. It's just the expectation every year to be here, and they were able to do that, we just came up short in this series."

Contact Christian Knox on Twitter @TheChrisKnox