By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
April 24, 2001
Heidelberg Academy and Kemper Academy enter the Mississippi Private School Association state baseball playoffs today after finishing first and second in the Academy 3-A race.
Heidelberg, 13-4, won the Academy 3-A championship, while Kemper, 10-5, finished second.
The Rebels of Heidelberg face Academy 4-A runner-up Tri-County in first-round action today.
Game 1 is slated for 7 p.m. at Tri-County's campus at Flora with the second and third, if needed, games beginning at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at Heidelberg.
Heidelberg takes a 10-game win streak into the playoffs.
The Rebels are old hat to the playoffs as they have won six consecutive district championships.
Among Heidelberg's victims this season are Prentiss Christian (10-0 and 16-5), Newton County Academy (13-5 and 15-5), Sylva-Bay Academy (10-0 and 7-2), Central Academy (14-6 and 9-2), and Wayne Academy.
Heidelberg also split a doubleheader with Academy AAA power Simpson, winning 10-9 in the opener before losing 9-2 in the second game. Simpson also claimed a 19-0 win over the Rebels in a later single game.
Heidelberg and Kemper split their regular season games with the Rams taking a 2-1 win and the Rebels posting a 9-3 victory.
Among the top Rebels are pitcher Matt Culberson (5-1), Scott McInnis (4 HRs), Derek McKee (4 HRs), Blake Bass, Ryan Aultman, and Heath Ainsworth.
Leading Tri-County's offense are Jeff Johnson, Eric Green, Nick Fowler, Ryan Upton, and Jarrad Creel.
Kemper hosts Academy 4-A champion University Christian, 11-9, today at 2 p.m. at DeKalb in Game 1 of that best-of-three series.
Games 2 and 3, if needed, would begin at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Flames' ballpark in Flowood.
Leading the Rams are pitcher Matthew Johnson (2-2), Adam Davis, Ty Harbour, Derek Calvert, and Justin Robertson.
Top hitters for UCS are Anthony Cupps (11 doubles), Ross Myers (8 doubles), Rylan Minshew (7 doubles), Kevin Ward (6 doubles), Jeremy Phillips (6 doubles), Tyler Allen (6 doubles, 3 HRs), and Jase Conway (5 doubles).
Trey Butts is 4-1 on the mound.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.