Welcome to the Around the Horn blog, where our Prep Baseball Mississippi staff will provide readers with scores, game recaps, and highlights from the games that took place throughout the week. In conjunction with our comprehensive in-game coverage throughout the 2024 season, we’ll publish this Around the Horn to keep readers informed on the latest happenings across the state.

We obtain most of our scores by following teams on GameChanger, as well as through MaxPreps and Twitter. Follow us on Twitter at @PBR_Mississippi to keep up with our season-long coverage, as it’s the place where we publish our MHSAA news and notes, from the Around the Horn to the Scout Blog, Player of the Week stories, as well as Power 25 updates.

 

AROUND THE HORN: WEEK 3 (February 25 - March 2)

 

POWER 25 

+ No. 2 Jackson Prep Patriots

Moving up into the number two spot in our Power 25 Rankings this week, the Patriots are playing as good as anyone in the state. Currently sitting with a (13-1) overall record with their only loss coming from No. 14 Tupelo last week, who is another program trending up in our rankings over the last two weeks. 

LSU recruit & ‘24 OF/SS/RHP Konnor Griffin has been incredible in the early parts of the spring and is showing no signs of slowing down. Breaking the Jackson Prep school record for stolen bases in a single season with 41 through just 14 games. Griffin is also putting up video game-like numbers at the plate for the Patriots as he is hitting for a .686 average and has an OBP of .778 through 14 games. Griffin has also tallied 24 total hits, launched three home runs and has plated nine RBI’s as well. On the mound, he is 3-0, has logged 19 innings, allowing just seven hits in that span and has racked up 36 strikeouts, all while holding opponents to a batting average of .106.

Uncommitted ‘25 C/3B/RHP and former Future Gamer, Tre Bryant and top ranked ‘26 UTL/RHP Kevin Roberts Jr. have also been high end contributors for the offensive production as well this spring as they both are hitting over .400 as well.

DATE	TEAM	SCORE
2/27	Jackson Prep vs. Warren Central	6-1
2/29	Jackson Prep vs. Parklane Academy	12-2
3/1	Jackson Prep vs. Kosciusko	8-4
3/2	Jackson Prep vs. Hertiage Academy	7-0

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+ No. 15 Oak Grove Warriors

The Warriors have a dynamic core of 2025’s that Coach Chris McCardle has been excited about for a couple of years and it looks as though they have matured enough this year to help Oak Grove take a step towards regaining their reputation as a power program in Mississippi. Three former Future Gamers Eli Wheat (Jones College recruit) Gage Thompson (uncommitted) and Maddox Miller (Mississippi State recruit) have been major role players over the past two seasons and now look to get over the hump of losing in the first round of the state playoffs 2 years in a row. 

They have some serious help in senior Coy Clements (Southern Miss signee) and sophomore EJ Booth (#2 ranked player in 2026), both who provide the Warriors with elite power threats. Seniors DJ Temple, Kaleb Lewis, Bentley Galloway, and junior Bryson Chapman have come up with some timely hits as well. 

Oak Grove has some depth on the mound in 2024 as seniors Jackson Haden and Reese Littlejohn (East MS CC recruit), along with sophomore Ryne Stevens have added some quality innings in the early going to help OG get off to an 8-0 start.

DATE	TEAM	SCORE
2/27	Oak Grove vs. Columbia	6-0
3/2	Oak Grove vs. Enterprise	12-5
3/2	Oak Grove vs. Wayne Academy	5-3

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+ No. 17 Itawamba Indians

Remaining unbeaten through the first three full weeks of the spring season, the Indians go into Week 4 with matchups against Tishomingo County and Biggersville. The Indians have been led by a handful of talented prospects with the key producers at the plate being ‘25 OF/LHP Cooper Waddle (Southern Miss recruit and former Future Gamer), ‘25 C John Austin Wood (Texas Christian recruit), ‘26 OF/LHP Cayden Prestage and ‘25 INF Bryson Walters.

We got our first look at the Indians on Friday night against Saltillo, the offense was clicking and Cayden Prestage was electric on the mound as he picked up 15 K’s in a complete game shutout. Itawamba doesn’t anticipate slowing down as they continue to climb in the Mississippi Power Rankings and are up to the No. 17 spot.

DATE	TEAM	SCORE
2/27	Itawamba vs. West Union	14-6
3/1	Itawamba vs. Saltillo	6-0

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+ No. 21 Madison Central Jaguars

Madison Central is a few years removed from 2021 and their magical season that saw them capture the 6A State Championship while going 34-2. Coach Patrick Robey may not have the thunder in his lineup as he did then but the Jaguars are making some noise early in 2024 and have earned a spot in the week’s Power 25 after starting off 7-2. 

Southern Miss signee Chase Russell (2024) and Pearl River CC recruit Gavin Parrow (2024) will look to lead a staff that could make things interesting as they make the jump to the newly developed 7A class. Both have started the season at 2-1 with nearly identical ERA’s near 1.00. Those two along with junior Addison Jayroe and a few others will give Coach Robey quality options as the offense goes to work.

DATE	TEAM	SCORE
2/27	Madison Central vs. Ridgeland	4-1
3/1	Madison Central vs. Faith Academy (AL)	5-0

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+ No. 25 Presbyterian Christian

The Bobcats play in the strongest district in MAIS 6A which has seen Jackson Prep take home the state championship for 6 consecutive seasons and are once again the favorites in 2024. PCS has something brewing on the mound with 3 outstanding sophomore arms ready for a challenge starting this season. RHP Bankston Walters, RHP Aaron Alston, and LHP Tyner Flynt will make it tough on opposing offenses this year and with a few years remaining together this trio will look to knock the Patriots off the pedestal. 

DATE	TEAM	SCORE
2/27	PCS vs. Purvis	10-7
2/29	PCS vs. Taylorsville	3-0
3/2	PCS vs. Purvis	5-1

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MORE POWER 25 SCORES

TEAM	SCORE
No. 1 Lewisburg vs Athens (AL)	7-4
No. 1 Lewisburg vs Hoover (AL)	7-3
No. 3 Hernando vs. Russell County (AL)	3-0
No. 3 Hernando vs. Grissom (AL)	8-7
No. 4 Germantown vs. No. 7 Northwest Rankin	9-6
No. 4 Germantown vs. Faith Academy (AL)	11-7
No. 5 Gulfport vs. Daphne (AL)	14-2
No. 8 West Jones vs. South Jones	5-3
No. 9 West Lauderdale vs. Brandon	2-1
No. 9 West Lauderdale vs. Ocean Springs	4-1
No. 12 Sumrall vs. Perry Central	12-0
No. 12 Sumrall vs. Faith Academy (AL)	5-2
No. 14 Tupelo vs. Desoto Central	11-8
No. 14 Tupelo vs. Mooreville	6-1
No. 16 Oxford vs. Lafayette	7-1, 7-4 & 1-8
No. 19 Biloxi vs. Pearl River Central	16-4
No. 20 East Union vs. West Union	10-0
No. 22 Ridgeland vs. Wayne County	7-5
No. 23 Clinton vs. Pearl	6-4
No. 24 Brandon vs. Athens (AL)	4-3

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Upcoming Events

SHOWCASE	DATE	LOCATION
North MS/West TN Rising Stars ID	3/30	The Gatorade Fieldhouse (Elevate) - Hernando, MS
South MS Rising Stars ID	4/6	Southern Performance Institute - Madison, MS
Jackson Summer ID	5/29	Jackson Prep - Flowood, MS
Pearl River Summer ID	6/5	Pearl River CC - Poplarville, MS
Magnolia State Games (Invite-Only)	6/18	Univ. of Southern Miss - Hattiesburg, MS
Delta Summer ID	6/25	Delta State University - Cleveland, MS
Hattiesburg Summer ID	7/2	Univ. of Southern Miss - Hattiesburg, MS
Oxford Summer ID	7/10	The Farm - Oxford, MS

 

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