By Robert Wilson
For the second night in a row, Madison-Ridgeland Academy ended a long successful streak by seven-time defending MAIS Class 6A state champion Jackson Prep.
MRA, for the second straight game, slowed down Prep’s hitters and defeated Prep 4-1 to win the opening three-game 6A conference series Friday night at Prep’s Patriot Field in Flowood.
Prep had not lost a conference series since Jackson Academy accomplished the feat in 2019, a string of 34 consecutive winning series. It is also the first time since 2012 – 13 years – since Prep has lost two home games in a series.
MRA blanked Prep 3-0 Thursday night to end a 231 consecutive game, nine-year streak without being shut out by a MAIS team and had won 32 consecutive regular season games.
MRA improved to 11-9 overall and 2-1 in league play and won a series over Prep for the first time since 2018, ending a streak of 11 consecutive series defeats.
Prep – which was ranked No. 20 in the country in the preseason by Perfect Game – dropped to 13-7-1 and has lost seven of the last 13 games. Prep has now lost three more games than last year’s team, which won a school record 39 games and finished ranked No. 4 in the country, led by national player of the year Konnor Griffin, the No. 9 overall pick in last summer’s Major League Baseball Draft.
MRA’s pitchers limited Prep once again offensively, allowing only five hits, four singles and a double, as Prep stranded 10 batters. Prep has scored only one run in the past 14 innings.
Sophomore Rhett Taylor (first three innings), senior Parks Fuller (next two innings), junior Samuel Stockett and sophomore Kade Buchanan (one inning each) to get the win.
MRA took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when junior third baseman Will Bizot singled to lead off the game, moved up to second on a passed ball, went to third on junior outfielder Gunnar Swanson’s groundout and scored on junior shortstop Alex Lambert’s sacrifice fly.
Prep tied it at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning when senior right fielder Cole Gideon hit an RBI double – Prep’s first extra base hit since junior first baseman Kevin Roberts’ home run in the sixth inning Tuesday – to score Roberts.
But after that it was all MRA in the scoring column.
MRA took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth when senior second baseman and Mississippi Gulf Community College signee Garrett Gardner singled, senior catcher Andrew Phelps hit a sacrifice bunt to get Gardner to second, Bizot was intentionally walked, Gardner and Bizot moved to second and third on a wild pitch and Gardner kept running and scored.
MRA got two more runs in the top of the sixth when Lambert and senior right fielder Reid Gandy singled, and sophomore designated hitter Cade Buchanan hit a sacrifice bunt and reached on an error. Gardner got hit by a pitch to score Lambert and junior left fielder Case Thomas had an infield hit to score Gandy for a 4-1 lead.
MRA also had double plays – all of them from shortstop (Lambert) to second baseman (Gardner) to junior first baseman Jack Poole – in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to help stop Prep rallies.
“I thought our guys played extremely hard and made some big-time pitches and plays tonight,” said first-year MRA coach Chad Lipscomb, who was promoted after 16 years as an assistant and replaced Allen Pavette, who led MRA to state championships in 2012 and 2016 in his 14 years at MRA. “Lambert and Gardner in the middle have been so good for us that our pitchers always know that they can get a ground ball with runners on they will get the double play to get us off the field. Our pitchers tonight really made some pitches in some crucial moments. I was extremely proud of how they handled the pressure. We felt like if it came down to pitching depth tonight, we were in a good position. (Pitching) Coach Tyler Parvan (who came over this year from Jackson Academy) has done an excellent job with our guys and has the pitchers taking ownership of their roles. It’s always good to open with a series win to start conference play. Coach Heavener and Prep have set the standard for years and we are just trying to match it. He has done such a great job there that his players always believe they are going to win no matter what. Tonight, we were just able to make plays and I’m so proud of our guys finding a way to win.”
“Tonight’s game was truly a team effort,” Gardner said. “Everyone stepped up and did their job when needed to do so. We had several big plays in big moments causing us to break out of innings. Our defense played extremely well together and we feel like there isn’t a play we cannot make. Our pitchers have done extremely well throughout the season as well, by pounding the zone and just allowing for us to make plays defensively. We are also putting good at bats together, allowing for us to string hits together. Overall, this series has extremely boosted my confidence by allowing me to see the ball really well and also showing me and the team that we are can beat anybody.”
Prep left 18 runners on base, nine Friday and nine Thursday.
“We’ve got to play better and when we have opportunities, we’ve got to find a way to get the hit to score runs,” Prep coach Brent Heavener said. “They got the big hits, and we did not.”
Senior left fielder and Air Force football signee Major Quin – had two hits, the only Prep player to have multiple hits. Quin came into the week hitting .467, second in Class 6A this season.
Roberts – who is rated the No. 3 player in the country by Baseball America in the Class of 2026 – hit. 500 for the week from the leadoff spot. He had six hits in 12 at bats with three runs scored and three RBIs. Roberts – who has been playing first base instead of third base, shortstop and pitching due to a bruised shoulder from the Overall Tournament basketball championship game – came into the week hitting .382.
MRA junior right-hander Aiden Peets and junior right-hander and Northwest Rankin transfer Dylan Varnell were the stars in Thursday’s win over Prep as they combined for a seven-hit shutout.
Peets allowed six hits – all singles – with two strikeouts and two walks in 5 1/3 innings. Peets, who came in with a 1.11 earned run average this season, improved to 6-1. Varnell finished up and allowed only one hit with one strikeout and no walks in 1 2/3 innings. Varnell has not allowed any earned runs in 7 2/3 innings this season going into Thursday.
MRA’s Gardner had a great week, hitting .857 (6 of 7) with 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, and 2 walks as well as playing solid defense at second base. He has improved his average to .360 on the season.
“Garrett was exceptional in the series,” Lipscomb said. “He has really stepped up his game since spring break.”
