The Purvis Tornadoes will challenge the Petal Panthers at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Purvis is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 21-6 margin over Lawrence County on Monday. The win was familiar territory for the Tornadoes, who have now won five matches in a row.
Kade Lawler looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
Ethan Walker
| 04/07/25 vs Lawrence County | 6 |
| 04/30/24 vs Pass Christian | 5 |
| 02/10/25 @ Wayne County | 4 |
| 02/23/24 vs Pass Christian | 4 |
| 03/25/25 @ Forrest County Agricultural | 3 |
On the hitting side, Ethan Walker was incredible, firing off two home runs, six RBI, and four runs while going 3-for-3. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jacob Parker, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.
Purvis lost a few balls and finished the game with four home runs. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now launched at least two home runs in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Petal got themselves on the board against Pearl on Friday, but Pearl never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Pirates with a sharp 10-0 victory. Winning may never get old, but the Panthers sure are getting used to it with their sixth in a row.
Cooper Giger looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Tanner Beliveau, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run. Dawson Dykes was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Petal pushed their record up to 18-5 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.2 runs over those games. As for Purvis, their win bumped their record up to 18-5.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Purvis hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .332. However, it's not like Petal struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Purvis came out on top in a nail-biter against Petal when the teams last played back in April of 2023, sneaking past 2-1. Will the Tornadoes repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
