The Brandon Bulldogs will face off against the South Jones Braves at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Brandon sitting on three straight wins and South Jones on ten.
If Brandon beats South Jones with 16 runs on Saturday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two matchups with that exact score. Brandon didn't even let Meridian on the board on Friday, marking Brandon's second-straight 16-0 shutout. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by six runs or more this season.
Cooper Hooks looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in February.
Tai Jones
| 03/21/25 @ Meridian | 3 |
| 02/23/24 vs UMS-Wright Prep | 2 |
| 02/22/25 vs Starkville | 1 |
| 02/21/25 vs Hernando | 1 |
| 03/14/24 vs West Lauderdale | 1 |
On the hitting side, Tai Jones was a standout: he scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Graydon Walker was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-2.
Brandon always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .636. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, South Jones faced Madison-Ridgeland Academy in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. South Jones came out on top in a nail-biter against Madison-Ridgeland Academy, sneaking past 3-1.
Micah Coutta looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in seven consecutive appearances.
At the plate, South Jones' victory was truly a team effort as five different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Walker Johnson, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one RBI. Another was Cambridge McDaniel, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
South Jones' win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-3. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Brandon, they now have a winning record of 9-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Brandon has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like South Jones struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Brandon came up short against South Jones in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, falling 8-5. Will Brandon have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
