Mooreville wins Game 1 slugfest in 4A finals

PEARL – The only thing that could contain Mooreville’s offense was Trustmark Park’s cavernous dimensions.

Mooreville scored early and often in a 15-8 win over Poplarville in Game 1 of the Class 4A championship series on Tuesday. The Troopers are a win away from their 10th state title and first since 2017. The two teams will meet again Wednesday night.

“We had a really good first inning, and I think that kind of got us going,” Mooreville head coach Derek Thompson said. “The butterflies kind of flushed right there. From there on, we were able to just keep pecking away. We got some lucky breaks with some balls falling in some spots. They kicked some balls, we did, too.”

Mooreville (29-8) wasted no time. After a hit-by-pitch to start the game, Eli McDaniels launched an RBI double to put Mooreville on the board. A balk and an Ethan Cates two-RBI single gave Mooreville a 4-0 lead after half an inning.

“It was huge grabbing the momentum early as the visiting team,” McDaniels said. “Just grabbing that momentum early, I think, got to our bench, got to our guys. They got behind us. Hitting’s contagious, then everybody just started barreling balls everywhere, and we got it done.”

After a two-spot for Poplarville (28-11) in the bottom of the first, McDaniels’ big day continued with a two-RBI double in the second. Poplarville trimmed the deficit to 6-5 after two, but it was all Mooreville the rest of the way. McDaniels finished the game with three doubles and three RBIs.

The Troopers plated four in the top of the third off a Major Floyd bloop single and an error. Mooreville then continued to pour it on in the fifth.

Mooreville loaded the bases, and Cooper Goff drove home a pair of runs. The Troopers scored two more to push the advantage to 14-5 and closed the win out from there.

“The job’s not finished,” Thompson said. “It’s not finished. That’s a really good ball team right over there. You’ve seen what they did today against our best. We’ve got to come out and find a way to get another one.”

Extra Bases

Big Inning: Mooreville scored four runs in an inning three times.

Big Stat: Mooreville had five extra-base hits.

Coach Speak: “For a freshman to do that, I know that’s a big deal, but for us it’s just another day.” – Thompson, on McDaniels