A big day by Jason Hicks helped Hinds Community College complete a perfect four-game run through the Wes Cliburn Classic Sunday at Bazinsky Field.

Hicks hit a two-run homer in the first inning and then added an RBI single in the fifth as the Eagles stomped Kishwaukee College 8-0 in the Classic’s final game. The freshman from Brandon had a two-run homer in the Eagles’ 6-1 win over Mississippi Delta in Sunday’s opener and finished the day with two homers, four hits and six RBIs.

“I guess I lucked into a few hits,” Hicks quipped. “I had been struggling.”

The Eagles (13-5) are not struggling. Only one of their four tournament games at Bazinsky was close, a 5-3 win Thursday over the vastly improved Coahoma Tigers. They blew out East Mississippi in Thursday’s Classic opener and then won both games Sunday, handily.

“We’ve been playing well of late. We’ve gone 13-2 since LSU-Eunice,” Hicks said.

Hinds coach Sam Temple said the Eagles’ excellent pitching has been the key.

“Our pitching has been outstanding of late. In our last five games, we’ve walked only three people. Not giving up free bags is the big thing we build around,” said Temple, a former Warren Central coach and Porters Chapel Academy graduate.

This was also the fourth straight year Temple has brought the Wes Cliburn Classic to his native city of Vicksburg.

“The tournament was great, mainly because the weather was much better. We had sleet in some of the early games last year. There was some really good baseball played here this weekend,” Temple said.

Hicks got the Eagles off well with his first inning home run for a 2-0 lead. His RBI single in the fifth scored Stuart Magee to make it 3-0. Zach Polzin followed with the inning’s fourth hit to plate Mark Buchanan and make it 4-0.

Hinds put the game away with three runs in the top of the seventh. Nick Schneeberger hit a two-run homer while Neil Barlow followed with an RBI double. Barlow finished with three doubles in the game.

“We haven’t been that hot with the bats, but we were able to turn it on in that game,” Temple said. The Eagles finished with 12 hits. Magee and Chris Howard had two hits and two runs apiece.

On the mound, the Eagles had three pitchers combine for the shutout of the Kougars. The Illinois team had just four hits.

Collin Torian went the first five innings to get the win. Frazier Adams pitched a scoreless sixth, while Ryan Nance closed the game by striking out three of the four batters he faced.

Stephen Cox paced the Kougars with two hits, including a seventh-inning double.

Hinds will now open South Division play Tuesday when it takes on Pearl River in Poplarville.

Hinds 6, Delta 1

Hicks homered and singled to lift the Eagles past Mississippi Delta in Sunday’s first game at Bazinsky Field.

Hicks’ two-run homer gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead in the third inning, then he singled during Hinds’ four-run fourth that extended the lead to 6-0.

Brent Gay and reliever Josh Clarke combined for five strikeouts to handle the Eagles’ pitching.

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Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com.