In a game of “Tortoise and the Hare” at Jerry Boatner Field Friday night, West Lauderdale proved the hare sometimes wins the race as the Knights jumped out to an early lead and held off a slow and steady charge from visiting Itawamba Agricultural High School.

The Knights (24-6) scored five times with two outs in the bottom of the first inning and added another two-out score later to take a 6-4 win against the Indians in Game 1 of the MHSAA Class 4A third-round playoff game.

“We didn’t play as well as we’re capable of,” WL coach Jerry Boatner said. “We didn’t execute very well at times, but I’m thrilled to death that we won.”

Earlier in the week, Boatner said he hoped that the 11 state championship signs running across the top of the outfield fence could help the Knights intimidate the visitors that are searching for their first state title.

Dillon Mitchell showed early on the Indians weren’t impressed by West Lauderdale’s baseball history. With two outs in the top of the first inning, the junior, who also started the game on the mound for Itawamba, sent a shot to deep right center. The home run bounced off the Knights’ 2000 state championship sign.

“I think that kind of woke them up, gave them some hope and inspired them,” Boatner said. “That’s the first time we’ve been behind in the playoffs. (West Lauderdale catcher Darren) Farmer’s been hitting the home run in the first inning, but they did.”

After giving up a single to Dustin James and a sacrifice bunt to Dustin McWilliams, Itawamba didn’t give Farmer any chance at all to get a first-inning home run. The senior was intentionally walked for the first of three times, bringing Jamie Byrd to the plate. Byrd chopped to third, where Shante Rogers made the throw to second for the second out of the inning. Farmer kept the inning going with a hard slide into the bag, breaking up the double play.

Wes Stokes made good on Farmer’s extension of the inning. The first baseman sent a ball into right field, where it fell just under the glove of Maikhail Miller. James and Byrd scored as Stokes ended up on third.

Caleb Melton was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners for Andy Miller, who singled up the middle. The Knights made it 5-1 as Melton and Miller both came home when Kameron Heiser ripped a shot down the left field line past a diving Rogers.

“If that guy makes that catch, we don’t score five runs and it’s a different game,” Boatner said. “I think the sun got in his eyes … we were lucky.”

After the first inning, West failed to score again until the fifth and all the while, the Indians were slowly chipping away.

In the second inning, the Knights again had two outs when Itawamba put a runner on. Bronson Smith doubled off the wall and scored when Rogers singled to center. Six pitches into Tyler Thomas’ at-bat, Rogers got into a rundown after breaking for second on a pickoff move by McWilliams. Byrd applied the tag to close out the inning.

Thomas later drew a walk to end a 13-pitch at-bat that spanned two innings. Colin Chatham also walked as McWilliams (10-2) struggled a bit early on. The senior southpaw, who averaged just over a walk a game, issued three free passes in the game and struck out eight.

“This was the second game in a row that Dustin didn’t have good control,” Boatner said. “But we won and that’s the main thing.”

Thomas was taken out at third on a fielder’s choice bunt by Devin Moore. There was a scary moment during the next at-bat when Mitchell grounded to second. Mikeal Evans bobbled the ball and was run over by Moore. Evans remained on the ground for a few minutes while trainers checked on the second baseman. Evans was able to remain in the game.

A sacrifice fly by Trevor Wallace made it a 5-3 game as Chatham scored from third.

Miller brought the Indians, who played three one-run games in their last playoff series, to within a run when he took the first pitch he saw over the fence in center field.

West added some insurance in the fifth with a two-out solo shot by Heiser to right-center field. Heiser finished the night going 2-for-3 and driving in three runs.

The best-of-three series shifts to Fulton today at 6 p.m. as the Knights look to close out the Indians (17-14) and advance to the North State Championship series against either division foe New Hope or Saltillo. New Hope leads that series 1-0.