Photo Gallery: Mississippi Braves beat Biloxi in home opener

Published 9:30 am Wednesday, April 10, 2024

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Mississippi Braves hitting coach Garrett Wilkinson holds his nephew, Colton Hattaway, on the field before the start of Tuesday's game against Biloxi at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves players joke around in the dugout before the start of their home opener against Biloxi Tuesday at Trustmark Park in Pearl. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

A grounds crew member lines the field at Trustmark Park prior to the Mississippi Braves' home opener against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Miss Rankin County Anna Leah Jolly holds a baseball before throwing out the first pitch for the Mississippi Braves' home opener Tuesday at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves outfielder Geraldo Quintero stretches before Tuesday's game against Biloxi at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Grounds crew members hose down the infield dirt at Trustmark Park before the Mississippi Braves' home opener against Biloxi on Tuesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves mascot Diddly carries a team flag during pregame festivities for the team's home opener Tuesday against the Biloxi Shuckers. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves outfielder Cade Bunnell warms up before Tuesday's game against Biloxi at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Members of the Brandon Mud Dawgs, from left, Landry Dobbs, Jacob Phillips, Cross Leopard and Conner Bryant, mug for the camera during pregame festivities at Trustmark Park on Tuesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Biloxi Shuckers pitcher Sam Carlson comes out of the dugout during player introductions before Tuesday's game against the Mississippi Braves at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves players stand in the dugout before the start of their home opener against Biloxi Tuesday at Trustmark Park in Pearl. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves second baseman CalConley (8) high-fives his teammates after being introduced before Tuesday's game against Biloxi. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves outfielder Justin Dean comes out of the dugout during player introductions before Tuesday's home opener against Biloxi at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Chris Link sings the national anthem before Tuesday's game between the Mississippi Braves and Biloxi Shuckers at Trustmark Park in Pearl. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

A group of sailors salutes the flag during the national anthem, prior to the start of Tuesday's game between the Mississippi Braves and Biloxi Shuckers Tuesday at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Beth Goodwin and Bryan Lea, and their dog Bella, enjoy Tuesday's game between the Mississippi Braves and Biloxi Shuckers at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves have a "Bark in the Park" promotion for Tuesday games that allows fans to bring their dogs to the game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Joose, bottom, asks John Howard (24) and Hunter Tew (44) for a snack as they fix their hot dogs Tuesday at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves have a "Bark in the Park" promotion for Tuesday games that allows fans to bring their dogs to the game. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves pitcher J.J. Niekro prepares to throw the first pitch of the game Tuesday against Biloxi. Niekro pitched six scoreless innings to lead the M-Braves to a 2-0 victory in their home opener. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves pitcher J.J. Niekro throws in the first inning Tuesday against Biloxi. Niekro pitched six scoreless innings to lead the M-Braves to a 2-0 victory in their home opener. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Mississippi Braves leadoff batter Cal Conley watches a pitch cross the plate in the first inning of Tuesday's game against Biloxi. Conley had two hits to help the M-Braves win 2-0 in their home opener at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

The Mississippi Braves' Nacho Alvarez, left, leads off of first base as Biloxi's Ernesto Martinez Jr. guards the bag during Tuesday's game at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

The Biloxi Shuckers' Ethan Murray warms up in the on deck circle during Tuesday's game against the Mississippi Braves at Trustmark Park. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Home plate umpire Bryan VanVranken calls strike three as Mississippi Braves catcher Drake Baldwin throws the ball back to the pitcher. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

The Mississippi Braves' Geraldo Quintero tosses the bat aside and runs to first base after hitting the ball Tuesday against Biloxi. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Ole Miss' 2023 Peach Bowl championship trophy was on display Tuesday at Trustmark Park in Pearl, for the Mississippi Braves' home opener against the Biloxi Shuckers. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Trustmark Park is seen during the Mississippi Braves' 2024 home opener against the Biloxi Shuckers on Tuesday.

PEARL — The Mississippi Braves began their final season at Trustmark Park with a win — albeit one that was a little shorter than they anticipated.

J.J. Niekro had five strikeouts in six shutout innings, and retired nine of the last 10 batters he faced as the M-Braves beat the Biloxi Shuckers 2-0 in their rain-shortened 2024 home opener on Tuesday.

Niekro and Biloxi starter T.J. Shook were locked in a pitcher’s duel until the M-Braves broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning. Justin Dean doubled and stole third, then Cal Conley doubled him home to make it 1-0.

Geraldo Quintero walked against Biloxi reliever Kaleb Bowman, stole second base, and scored on Dean’s single in the seventh inning for the M-Braves’ other run.

Dean finished 2-for-3 with on RBI and one run scored. Conley also had two hits, and Nacho Alvarez walked three times.

The game was halted in the top of the eighth inning, and then called after a 35-minute delay, when severe thunderstorms — including one that triggered a tornado warning at the ballpark — rolled across Central Mississippi.

The same storm system brought more rain and severe storms to the area Wednesday morning, forcing the postponement of game two of the series. The teams will play a doubleheader on Thursday, starting at 5:05 p.m. Both will be seven-inning games.

Wednesday’s game was one of several school-day matinees on the M-Braves’ schedule. Any schools that purchased tickets should reach out to their ticket representative at Trustmark Park by calling 601-932-8788.

The six-game series will continue through the weekend, with games at 6:35 p.m. Friday, 6:05 p.m. Saturday, and 2:05 p.m. Sunday. The Friday and Saturday games will feature postgame fireworks shows.

This is the final season that the Mississippi Braves will play at Trustmark Park. The team is moving to Columbus, Georgia, at the end of the season.

About Ernest Bowker

Ernest Bowker is The Vicksburg Post's sports editor. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post's sports staff since 1998, making him one of the longest-tenured reporters in the paper's 140-year history. The New Jersey native is a graduate of LSU. In his career, he has won more than 50 awards from the Mississippi Press Association and Associated Press for his coverage of local sports in Vicksburg.

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