MONTICELLO – A tale of 2 games occurred in Game 3 of the SouthState 4A championship series between a pair of the top 3 highschool teams in Mississippi Thursday night at Jimmie Davis Park.No. 3-Lawrence County tackled No. 1-Petal for the right to advancethe Class 4A state championship series.

It took 2 days, but the top-ranked Panthers came from behind toauthor a 4-3 win over the Cougars before an enthusiastic 400-plusfans.

Petal, ranked fourth the latest USA Today Prep Super 25,improves to 33-3. They will meet the North 4A champion LafayetteCounty Commodores Saturday in Pearl’s Trustmark Park at 3:00 p.m.in a best-of-three series. Lawrence County, the No. 1-team inSouthwest Mississippi, concluded their season with a 30-6worksheet.

On Wednesday, Petal and Lawrence County met in the deciding gameof their 3-game set for the South 4A title.

The Panthers, coached by veteran skipper Larry Watkins, openedthe scoring in their half of the third. With 2 outs, shortstopDarrin Ferris doubled. Starting pitcher Michael Lindsey doubled toscore Ferris and Petal had claimed a short-lived 1-0 lead.

The Cougars responded with a 3-run third; claiming 3-1 lead.Catcher Zachary Summers singled and stole second. Two batterslater, LCHS starting pitcher Trent Hartzog walked. LeftfielderJonathan Stephens’ single scored Summers. Rightfielder TaebyusSmith singled and moved to second on a fielding error by Petal thatallowed Hartzog to score. Stephens would later score on a Pantherwild pitch.

In the fifth, Watkins’ ballclub would register a 3-3 deadlock.Designated hitter Colby Dozier singled. With 1 out, Ferris singled.Lindsey doubled to score Dozier. Third baseman Tyler Watkins (HeadCoach’s son) grounded into a fielder’s choice that scoredFerris.

LCHS tried to respond in their half of the fifth. Withthreatening weather in the dark skies and 2 outs, Stephens singled.Smith came to the plate, when the umpires halted play because ofthe streaking lightning. After several minutes, play was to beresumed; only to have Mother Nature bring about a heavydownpour.

On Thursday, Petal got Smith to fly out to leftfield to end thefifth. The Panthers got the winning in the top of the sixth.Catcher Bo Hust singled, moved to second on a fielder’s choice andto third on a passed ball. Two batters later, first baseman MattWarren’s single scored Hust.

Watkins, who relieved Lindsey in the fourth, retired thetop-third of the Cougar lineup to secure the win. He went 3.1innings, allowing no runs on 1 hit with a walk and 3 strikeouts.Lindsey gave 3 runs on 4 hits withy 3 walks and 6 strikeouts.

“Tyler has thrown in every playoff for us this year,” saidWatkins who has over 600 career coaching wins in 30-plus years. “Hewas able to place his pitches where he wanted in the end.”

“This was a great game between 2 good teams,” added CoachWatkins. “Coach (Cory) Keyes did a good job with his team. My hat’soff to them.”

Keyes echoed Watkins’ sentiments. “This was a great game,” saidKeyes. “Petal found a way to get the job. They have a good team anda good coaching staff.”

Ferris paced the Panther attack with 2 singles, a double and 2runs scored. Lindsey doubled twice with 2 RBIs. Jerry Duncansingled twice.

For the Cougars, Stephens had 2 singles. Smith, Jake Russell andZachary Summers each hit safely for LCHS. Smith, Russell, Stephensand Marty Ballard are senior scholarships signees with Co-Lin.

“Those four guys will be truly missed,” said Keyes about hissenior quartet. “They won 95 games in their 4 years here. Theyexhibited great leadership.”

Russell suffered his first loss of the year against 11 victoriesin relief of Hartzog. He gave up 1 earned run on 2 hits; issuing 1base on balls with 3 strikeouts in 2.2 innings of work. Hartzogtossed the opening 4.1 innings, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits. Hewalked none and fanned 4 Petal batters.