From staff reports

Mother Nature laid waste to the high school sports schedule across Mississippi on Saturday.

Strong storms dumped enough rain on the southern part of the state to force the cancellation of Warren Central’s baseball playoff game against Gulfport, as well as the Class 5A South State track meet.

Both events were to take place in Gulfport.

The baseball game between WC and Gulfport was rescheduled for Monday night at 7.

Gulfport won Game 1 of the series Friday night in Vicksburg, 6-4, and can clinch a berth in the South State finals with another victory.

Warren Central, which is seeking its second straight trip to the South State finals, will try to stay alive in the best-of-three series. If the Vikings win, they will force a deciding Game 3 on Thursday night at Viking Field.

The track meet was rescheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. It will cause a travel headache for the teams from Vicksburg and Warren Central.

Both schools’ teams spent Friday night in Gulfport, only to wake up Saturday morning and find out they wouldn’t be competing. They’ll now leave Vicksburg around 6 a.m. Monday to get to the coast in time.

“It’s not going to be that bad. The people who traveled today and then have to travel again Monday are the ones who have it bad,” Vicksburg girls coach Deborah L. Brown said, adding that the delay won’t affect her team’s preparation. “I told the girls if they want to come and do a little light running on Sunday, they can. It’s nothing mandatory. If they’re not ready to run by now, they’re not going to be ready to run, regardless.”