RIDGELAND — Neshoba Central hasn’t been known to be a home run hitting team, but the Rockets launched a few Monday night.

A big seventh inning that included back-to-back-to-back home runs by Neshoba Central helped the Rockets get past Ridgeland 6-4 in the Region 3-5A opener at Titan Park.

Neshoba Central (9-2, 1-0) and Ridgeland (9-6, 0-1) will play again at 7 p.m. Friday at Neshoba Central.

“It was huge, and we don’t quit, and we tell them all the time when you get a pitch, you have a chance. We got up there in a key situation, and our guy got him one,” Neshoba Central coach Jonathan Jones said. “After that, we got a couple of guys that squared the ball well, and everything fell our way.”

The Titans scored all four of their runs in the bottom of the third inning. With the bases loaded, James Woody hit a bases-clearing double to right center to give Ridgeland a 3-0 lead. Ridgeland added the fourth run on a wild pitch.

Neshoba Central got on the board in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Demarkez West to cut the Ridgeland lead to 4-1. In the seventh inning, with one out and two baserunners, Neshoba Central’s Pepper Agent hit a three-run home run to left to tie the game 4-4. 

Reid Hall followed Agent’s blast with a solo shot to left to give the Rockets a 5-4 advantage, and R.B. Hardin followed with a solo shot to left to put Neshoba Central ahead 6-4. Hall, a East Central Community College commit, had three hits to lead the Rockets offensively.

“We got runners on when we needed, and we were able to get those three big ones,” Hall said. “I have never seen three home runs in a row. We were struggling early but still had energy, and to come back to get this one is big.”

Sanders Griffis (1-0) got the win on the mound in relief for Neshoba Central.

“We were able to grind out at-bats and get in their bullpen, and when we do that, we have a chance,” Jones said. “This is big district win for us on the road, but we know we have to be ready for Friday. Ridgeland is a good team.”

Parker Ishee (1-3) took the loss on the mound in relief for Ridgeland.

“We opened the door for them, and they made us pay for it,” Ridgeland coach Chris Peden said. “You can’t do that against a good team, especially a good hitting team. We will bounce back and be ready for Friday.”