Vicksburg’s infield, from left, second baseman Josh McBride, shortstop Justin Henry, first baseman Paul “Moose” Gorney, and second baseman Matt Middleton, comprise one of the top infield combinations around. The four have been teammates for years. (C. Todd ShermanThe Vicksburg Post)

[4/17/03]Six years ago, three-quarters of Vicksburg High’s standout infield became part of Vicksburg youth baseball history by advancing to the Babe Ruth World Series in Florida.

The three Justin Henry, Paul Gorney and Josh McBride had been playing on the same teams since they were 10, but the 12-year-olds were the best.

They won the state title, then the regional crown before getting eliminated in the World Series.

As 13-year-olds, they finished second in the state and as 14-year-olds, when a slick-fielding third baseman named Matt Middleton joined the club, the team won the state title and finished as runner-up at the regionals in Texas.

“I haven’t played with a different right side of the infield since I was 10,” Henry said.

Now, as seniors, the group widely considered to be one of the top fielding infields in the state, is poised to lead the Gators into the Class 5A state playoffs with a shot at the biggest championship at the end of the road.

“We all know each other so well, we know exactly where we are going to be,” said Gorney, the team’s first baseman. “We’ve been together for like eight years now.”

The familiarity played itself out perfectly in the Gators’ season finale against South Panola.

With a runner on first, Walt Love hit a soft liner to second base. McBride purposely dropped the ball, flipped to Henry at second base for the force out, then Henry fired to Gorney at first base to double up Love, who was easing his way down the baseline.

“When the ball came off his bat and I saw it was a low line drive, I knew (McBride) was going to drop it on purpose,” Henry said. “If it would have been hit to me, he would have done the same thing. It’s like we know each other’s next move before it happens.”

The double play against South Panola was the first of two on the night, and Vicksburg pitchers are keenly aware of the strong defense behind them.

“When I am pitching, all I have to do is try to get them to hit it to the second baseman,” Henry said. “To know that you have three guys that have been with you for so long, it makes things easy.”

It’s not just the fielding that separates this group, though. The four are the top hitters on a team that is hitting .347. Henry leads the team with a .429 average, while McBride is hitting .395, Gorney is hitting .389 and Middleton is at .373.

The four are also the first hitters in the batting order, and have combined for 108 of the team’s 224 hits this season..

“They scare me to death,” said Starkville coach Danny Carlisle, who watched the Vicksburg-Clinton game one week ago. “They hit the ball so well and have so much speed, we just hope to stay on the same field with them.”

Carlisle’s Yellowjackets split a season series with Tupelo, but won the division on a tiebreaker. The Jackets sport a team that starts three seniors and six juniors.

“We don’t know too much about them,” McBride said of Starkville. “But I feel like we match up well with almost anyone. We’ll put our best three guys on the mound and see what happens.”

The Yellowjackets are led by senior pitcher Jesse Carver (7-2 with a 1.26 ERA). Carver threw a two-hitter in a 1-0 loss to Tupelo and no-hit Grenada.

“He’s a good lefty, but (Vicksburg) has so many lefties that they can practice against them all week,” Carlisle said. “He mixes it up well and has a good breaking pitch.”

Vicksburg will counter with hard-throwing lefty James Jackson. The junior had his worst outing of the season in a loss to Clinton on Thursday, but pitched one inning of relief Tuesday to get a save.

“He’s a guy that has to work for us. He’s a horse, and we are going to ride him,” Creel said. “He’s going to be a big key for our success in the playoffs.”

Jackson, who has been clocked at 92 mph this season, is 4-2 with a 4.05 ERA in 36-1/3 innings.

The Gators will return home on Friday at 6:45 p.m. for game two. If a game three is necessary, the teams will meet again on Saturday in Starkville at 1 p.m.

“We really hope to get it to three games,” Carlisle said. “Recently, we’ve been kind of like the Marines: The first ones to go.”

In the other Class 5A quarterfinals beginning on Thursday, Northwest Rankin (Division 3-5A runner-up) will play at Division 1-5A champion Olive Branch; Division 3-5A winner Madison Central will host 1-5A runner-up Southaven; and Division 4-5A winner Clinton will host 3-5A runner-up Tupelo.