Brandt Dickerson's walk-off triple lifts East Central over Neshoba Central in MHSAA 5A Baseball Championship opener

Dickerson's double down the first base line broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth inning

PEARL — East Central's Brandt Dickerson was looking for just one pitch — an inside fast ball.

He got it, and he didn't miss.

Dickerson hit a walk-off RBI double down the first base line to lift East Central over Neshoba Central 3-2 in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 5A Baseball State Championship series at Trustmark Park on Tuesday night.

Game 2 of the series Thursday night at 7 p.m.

“First pitch I was hunting the fast ball and threw me one middle and inside and I was able to rip it down the first base line,” Dickerson said. “I got the pitch I was looking for and got the barrel on it.”

Neshoba Central scored the games first run in the top of the fifth as Bryceton Spencer scored on a wild pitch to give the Rockets an early 1-0 lead.

East Central responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back RBI singles by Logan Terry and Eli Smith to give the Hornets a 2-1 lead.

The Rockets answered in the top of the sixth as Garrett Martin hit a RBI single to right to tie the game 2-2.

Neither team threatened to score in the seventh. In the eighth Andrew Marble singled with one out and with two outs Dickerson, the nine-hole hitter and a MS Gulf Coast CC signee, slapped a first pitch fast ball down the first base line and Marble raced home all the way from first base to win it for the Hornets.

Hollis Porter had three hits to lead East Central (27-6) offensively. Dickerson along with Terry had two hits for the Hornets. Eli Smith got the win on the mound in relief.

“Brandt has had a huge night for us all night and he’s not your typical nine-hole hitter,” said East Central coach Michael Long. “When he comes to the plate we feel like good things will happen and it did. We couldn’t get runs across and hit the ball well and found a way to win, but Neshoba is a tough team, so we better be ready Thursday.”

Sanders Griffis took the loss on the mound for Neshoba Central (29-6)

“We didn’t hit well enough, but our pitchers kept us in the game with some big pitches, just couldn’t get the big hit,” said Neshoba Central coach Jonathan Jones. “They came up with the one big hit late and it cost us. We’ve been here before losing Game 1 and these kids fight, so we will be ready.”