Two of the best pitchers in the Pine Belt faced each other Saturday Night. Sumrall's number one pitcher, Junior Jake Hawkins(8-0) and Purvis's, Sophomore Robert Marzoni(10-2). Both teams battled, scrapped, fought to the very end. The game marked the first ever game for two teams from Lamar County went head-to-head for 3A South State Championship. This game went down in history books as Purvis came from behind from a 9-5 deficit to a chilling 12-9 last inning win.
Purvis jumped out and shocked the crowd with a 4-0 lead first at bat. Marzoni went the distance with 107 pitches, sixty-two strikes and 45 balls, also had seven strikeouts and gave up three walks. Marzoni managed to take control of the last three innings, faced nine batters, striking out four. The last two strikeout's were the last two batters for Sumrall to end the game. Marzoni struggled at the plate by striking out twice and grounded out once.
However, Sumrall came right back with their own four runs in the first inning. Hawkins pitched 5 1/3 innings throwing 102 pitches and struck out seven batters. At the plate, Hawkins had one RBI, scored one run, hit three singles and popped out once. Jim Roseberry(4-2) came in the top of the fifth in relief of Hawkins with one out and the bases loaded. Roseberry managed to get out of the inning but not before a McKenzie Lott sacrifice fly to center to score an RBI from third and a ground out by Matt Kukuk. Roseberry gave up six runs. At the plate, Roseberry hit a two-run homer earlier in the fourth which put the Bobcats up 9-5. Junior, Eathan Applewhite went 1 for 2 with one walk and two RBI's. Junior, Adrian Lee went 2 for 4 with one RBI, hit a single and a standup double. Senior, Dustin Smith went 2 for 3 with two singles, one walk and two RBI's. Senior, Austin Pace also went 2 for 3 with one single and one double, also had one walk.

For Purvis, junior Matt Kukuk went 2 for 5 hitting two singles, had one RBI, one stolen base and scored twice. Senior, Kyle McCardle scored every time he got on base, hit a single and had two walks. Junior, Brice McWilliams went 2 for 5 hitting one double and one single. Junior, Cody Bielstein went 1 for 5 but the one hit was a three-run HR in the top of the sixth to tie the ballgame, 9-9. Senior, McKenzie Lott had two RBI's.

Game two - Monday in Purvis at 6:00pm