Stephen Evans had been in this position before.

In last year’s championship game of the Governor’s Cup, Evans was on the mound when the Vicksburg Hurricanes won the 14-year-olds’ division of the tournament.

Fast forward one year to Sunday evening, and Evans was in the same position for the Hurricanes in the 16-year-olds’ championship game at Bazinsky Field.

Evans didn’t disappoint, throwing all seven innings for the Hurricanes and scattering eight hits in the their 4-2 win over the Miss-Lou Vipers.

Evans struck out four, walked four and let his defense do the rest in a game in which the Hurricanes never trailed.

&#8220I knew if I could locate and throw strikes then I could win, and that’s all I did,” Evans said.

Along the way, Evans also worked out of plenty of jams — the most daunting one coming in the top of the sixth inning when Miss-Lou loaded the bases with two outs.

Evans caught Trey Lillie looking at a third-strike curve ball to end the threat.

Miss-Lou stranded nine baserunners in seven innings.

Hurricanes coach Darrell Evans, Stephen’s father, credited the defense behind his son as a big factor in the win.

&#8220Stephen didn’t have his best stuff today, but he battled through it and they made some defensive plays behind him that got us out of some jams,” Darrell Evans said.

The Hurricanes’ first defensive gem came in the first inning when center fielder Dee White made a diving catch for the third out.

Then, in the fifth inning, second baseman Jimmy Elliott’s leaping snag of what looked to be a surefire base hit turned into a double play when he threw to first base before Miss-Lou’s baserunner could get back in time.

The Hurricanes got all the runs they needed in a three-run fourth inning. White, Sean Weaver, Pierson Waring and Ryno Martin-Nez all recorded hits in the inning to give Vicksburg a 3-0 lead.

Evans and the Hurricanes’ stout defense took care of the rest.

&#8220I knew that’s all I needed,” the younger Evans said. &#8220That gave me a lot more confidence when we got a 3-0 lead.”