Photo Gallery: Warren Central vs. George County, Game 1

Published 11:26 pm Wednesday, May 22, 2024

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Warren Central pitcher Conner Watkins delivers during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central catcher jack Esparza stretches in the bullpen at Trustmark Park before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Justin Evans warms up before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Head coaches Randy Broome of Warren Central, left, and Brandon Davis of George County talk before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's baseball helmets sit in cubby holes in the dugout at Trustmark Park before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's John Farmer warms up in the outfield at Trustmark Park before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central pitcher Conner Watkins collects his thoughts in the bullpen at Trustmark Park before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central catcher Trace Hood, bottom, gets his leg stretched by teammate Peyton Hoben before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Members of the Vicksburg Dodgers 12U baseball team stand on a rail at Trustmark Park to watch Warren Central warm up before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball players mill around in the dugout before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central fans watch the action at Trustmark Park during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Charles Roberts ties his shoes in the dugout at Trustmark Park before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball players Hayden Blok (12) and Justin Evans (17) pose for a quick photo before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's baseball team warms up before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball coach Randy Broome talks to his team before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Cade Fairley puts on his batting gloves before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball coach Randy Broome carries the North State championship trophy back to the dugout after receiving it prior to Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central players stand at attention for the national anthem before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball coach Randy Broome stands at attention for the national anthem before Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Ryan Nelson runs to first base after hitting a ground ball during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central first baseman Lester Martin stretches to catch the ball during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball coach Randy Broome claps as he walks off the field between innings during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Maddox Lynch bats during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Cade Fairley dives back to first base on a pickoff throw during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Cade Fairley (25) scores a run during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Cade Fairley (25) celebrates with teammate Cole Autrey (34) after scoring a run during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Hayes Loper (11) scores a run during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Talan Patel (3) and Hayes Loper celebrate after Loper scored a run during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central pitcher Conner Watkins celebrates at the end of an inning during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Jack Esparza (8) takes a lead off of first base during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central first baseman Lester Martin applies a late tag to George County's Tripp Lightsey on a pickoff play during Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series on Wednesday. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Brooks Willoughby looks at the scoreboard after the final out in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series Wednesday against George County. Warren Central lost, 3-2, and will need to win Game 2 Friday at 4 p.m. at Trustmark Park to keep its season alive. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central players walk off the field after Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 6A championship series against George County on Wednesday. George County won the game, 3-2. (Ernest Bowker/The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central’s baseball team made its first appearance in the state championship series in 23 years on Wednesday, when it took on George County in the MHSAA Class 6A finals at Trustmark Park.

The Vikings lost 3-2 as George County’s Jacob Eubanks hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Trace Hood went 2-for-2 with one RBI for Warren Central (19-12), and Hayes Loper was 1-for-2 with an RBI single and one run scored. Cade Fairley also reached base twice and scored a run.

Conner Watkins pitched six innings for the Vikings and allowed three runs on six hits. He had three strikeouts and did not walk a batter.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Friday at 4 p.m. at Trustmark Park. Tickets are $15 and are available through GoFan.co. Warren Central needs to win Friday to force a deciding Game 3 on Saturday.

Hundreds of fans from Warren County made the trip on I-20 to Pearl for Game 1.

To get ready for Game 2, scroll through this selection of photos from Wednesday’s game. The Vicksburg Post was there from warm-ups all the way through the postgame as the Vikings pursue their first state title since 2001.

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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