Warren Central slammed on the gas and drove into the pole position in the MHSAA Region 2-6A baseball championship race.

Connor Watkins went 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and three runs scored, Lester Martin drove in three runs, and the Vikings scored in every inning except the first as they beat Ridgeland 10-5 on Saturday night.

Warren Central (9-10, 3-1 Region 2-6A) moved into first place in Region 2-6A based on winning percentage. It can officially clinch a playoff berth by at least splitting a doubleheader Monday at Columbus, and can win the region title by winning its last four regular-season games next week.

In addition to the doubleheader against Columbus, Warren Central hosts Vicksburg on Tuesday and is at VHS next Friday. Columbus has not won a region game this season, and Warren Central has not lost to Vicksburg since 2012.

Warren Central swept the two-game series from Ridgeland (13-10, 5-3), which is still in first place based on win total but has finished its region schedule.

After beating the Titans 5-2 on Friday, Warren Central produced a steady stream of runs in Saturday’s rematch.

Cole Autrey hit an RBI double in the second inning, and in the third an RBI single by Fairley and a sacrifice fly by Martin made it 3-0.

Ridgeland closed the gap with a run in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth, but the Vikings never let go of their grip on the game.

Watkins hit an RBI double and scored on a ground out in the bottom of the fourth inning, and a four-run burst in the fifth made it 9-3. Fairley and Martin both hit RBI singles during the latter rally.

Autrey added another RBI single in the sixth inning to bring in WC’s final run. He finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Fairley also drove in two runs, and Ryan Nelson scored two.

Maddox Lynch pitched 5 2/3 innings and had seven strikeouts for the Vikings.