PEARL — Vicksburg High coach Jamie Creel didn’t expect his team to play its best in the first game of the year. He was just disappointed they had to wait nearly a week to get it out of their system.

The Gators struggled at the plate early, in the field in the middle innings, and on the basepaths late, and lost 5-4 to Clinton in eight innings Thursday afternoon. VHS committed four errors, had three runners caught stealing in the last four innings, and left six runners on base in the first three innings.

Vicksburg was originally scheduled to open its season against Columbia last Saturday, but it was rained out. That made Thursday’s game with Clinton in the Mid-Mississippi Classic its season-opener.

“It really hurt us not being able to play Saturday. We made mistakes I thought we’d make,” Creel said. “We cut out the mistakes, we’re going to be fine.”

Alex Gunn went 3-for-3 with a double, and Andrew Gunn was 2-for-2 for Clinton (3-1).

Andrew Gunn’s second hit was an RBI double in the top of the eighth that brought home the winning run. It was set up by Alex Gunn’s double.

“The bottom of our order, it’s been like that. It’s been a mix of different guys getting the job done,” Clinton coach Eddie Lofton said.

Clinton creeped out to a 3-0 lead after 3 1/2 innings, but Vicksburg finally came through with a few clutch hits to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Five straight hits, including Bowen Woodson’s two-run double off the center field wall and a two-run single by Brian Fitzgerald, put the Gators ahead 4-3.

Clinton tied it in the top of the fifth, and Vicksburg missed a golden opportunity in the bottom of the inning. With runners at first and third and two outs, they attempted a double steal. The runner on third was late breaking for home, and caught in a rundown for the final out.

Another runner was caught stealing when the Gators failed to get a bunt down in the seventh, and yet another was picked off first for the second out in the bottom of the eighth inning.

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Contact Ernest Bowker at ebowker@vicksburgpost.com.