Just looking at Warren Central’s upcoming Class 6A second-round playoff series with Madison Central, which starts on Friday, one word jumps out: mismatch.

In two meetings this season, the Jaguars (26-1) have outscored the Vikings 15-1. They are ranked seventh in the nation by Maxpreps.com and have three SEC signees. Six of their hitters have tallied over 20 RBIs this season. Their stats sound like they were achieved on Playstation 3, not Mississippi high school baseball.

Their team ERA (1.72) is just a step above nothing, while they’ve hit home runs (36 this season) at a clip that would make Babe Ruth smile.

However, Warren Central (15-13) isn’t buying this hype. The Vikings are positively giddy to be taking on the Jaguars, which eliminated them in the second round of last year’s Class 6A playoffs.

Could the Vikings pull the upset to end all upsets? Anything is possible in a three-game set.

First of all, the Vikings have excellent pitching depth. In addition to Beau Wallace and Devon Bell, they have Chase Ladd, Carlos Gonzalez and Blake Jobe ready to come out of the pen and help out. While none is in the class of Madison Central ace and Ole Miss signee Josh Laxer, all are capable pitchers can fill up the strike zone and give WC coach Josh Abraham some options if either starter falters.

Offensively, while the Vikings aren’t in the same league power-wise with the Jaguars, they have plenty of offense. Wallace is a dangerous leadoff man (.474 average, 12 RBIs, five doubles, three triples and three home runs), while Clayton Ashley (.292 average, 21 RBIs, seven doubles and two home runs) and Gonzalez (.452 average, 18 RBIs, five doubles and two home runs) provide plenty of run-driving muscle behind him. Add to that the emergence of No. 2 hitter Brandon Gates (.352 average, 13 RBIs) and Hunter Austin (.344 average, 12 RBIs) and the Vikings bring a dangerous order that has showed, in flashes, they can deal with top-flight pitchers. The Vikings don’t have that mind-blowing, middle-of-the-lineup guy that teams fear, but like with their pitching, they have strength in numbers.

The key for the Vikings on the hill is getting ahead in the pitch count. Falling behind and giving hitters’ counts to a team with 36 bombs is a recipe for disaster.

Conversely in the batter’s box, the Vikings are going to need to work some counts and tire out the Jaguars’ pitching staff to increase the likelihood of a mistake pitch here and there.

But above all, the Vikings need to view this series as an opportunity. As you can ask the Oakland Raiders, who drafted can’t-miss LSU quarterback JaMarcus Russell in 2007, and the San Diego Chargers, who drafted Mr. Congeniality and former Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf in 1998, there are no sure things.

It might be far-fetched to believe the Vikings can win this series. But if the outcome was a foregone conclusion, there would be no reason to play the games.

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Steve Wilson is sports editor of The Vicksburg Post. You can follow him on Twitter at vpsportseditor. He can be reached at 601-636-4545, ext. 142 or at swilson@vicksburgpost.com.