1 of 7

Warren Central's Hayes Loper (11) is greeted by teammates Tristan Jamison (15) and Jacob Kealhofer (3) after scoring a run during Saturday's MHSAA Class 6A playoff game against Grenada. Warren Central won, 8-2. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Justin Evans dives back into second base as Grenada's Ty Edwards (1) applies a tag. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central pitcher Nathaniel Moore delivers during Saturday's MHSAA Class 6A playoff game against Grenada. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Blake Caruthers, left, tries to keep his helmet on after reaching third base as Grenada's Drew Klinck looks on. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central's Hayes Loper (11) runs to first base during Game 1 of an MHSAA Class 6A playoff series vs. Grenada. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central pitcher Justin Greer warms up during Saturday's MHSAA Class 6A playoff game against Grenada. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Warren Central baseball players gather for a moment of prayer after their 8-2 win over Grenada in Game 1 of an MHSAA Class 6A playoff series on Saturday. (Paul Ingram/For The Vicksburg Post)

Waiting an extra day to start its second-round playoff series did not slow down Warren Central at all.

Blake Caruthers hit two RBI doubles and pitcher Nathaniel Moore had another quality start to power Warren Central to an 8-2 victory over Grenada in Game 1 of their MHSAA Class 6A playoff series on Saturday.

Warren Central (19-9) won for the 16th time in 17 games. It can advance to the Class 6A semifinals for the second year in a row by winning Game 2 of the best-of-three series Monday at 7 p.m. at Grenada. If Grenada (17-11) wins to force Game 3, it would be back at WC’s Viking Field Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Warren Central has been red hot since spring break — it has only lost once since mid-March — and stayed that way taking Game 1 after it was postponed a day by rain.

Grenada took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, then Warren Central went ahead for good by scoring four runs in the second inning, three more in the third and one in the fourth.

Caruthers’ RBI double put the Vikings ahead, and he scored on Hayes Loper’s two-run single that made it 4-1. In the third inning Caruthers hit another double to plate two runs, then scored on Caden Cole’s single for a 7-1 lead. WC’s final run came across on an RBI groundout by Maddox Lynch.

Caruthers finished 2-for-2 with thee RBIs and two runs scored. Loper was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, and Cole and Lynch had one RBI each.

Moore allowed two runs, one earned, and had seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last five starts.

Justin Greer pitched the last 1 2/3 innings and did not allow a run.

More Sports

Cannonballs back for another summer of swimming fun

Southern Miss pitcher Middleton wins the Ferriss Trophy

Warren County Lady Bulls win tournament title

Ole Miss advances to NCAA softball super regional