Posted on Fri, May. 09, 2008

OCEAN SPRINGS -- Impressing the scouts in attendance from the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets probably ranked second on the priority list for Ocean Springs and Terry on Thursday night.

Getting a leg up on the best-of-three series in their Class 5A South State finals matchup was foremost on their minds.

Advantage Greyhounds.

Drew Bruhl knocked a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Ocean Springs a 4-3 come-from-behind win over Terry to take Game 1 and a 1-0 lead in the series.

The two teams will tangle today at 6 p.m. in Game 2 at Terry with Ocean Springs needing one win to advance to the state finals. Game 3 would be Saturday, if necessary.

Greyhound starting pitcher Robert Wineski began the seventh frame with a single and pinch runner Michael Reynolds moved to second base on a Matt Nettles sacrifice bunt. A fielding error on a Sam Noblin grounder put runners at the corners. Then a wild pitch by Terry starting left-hander Connor Butts scored Reynolds and moved Noblin to second.

Once Noblin got into scoring position, Bruhl told Greyhounds coach Jesse Kanode he was going to end it. He did.

"I knew I had to step up in a key situation. I did the job and it got us the win," Bruhl said. "I told coach before I went up there that I was going to finish it."

Bruhl punched it into right-center field and Noblin never drew a throw at the plate.

"(Bruhl) was looking for a pitch away," Kanode said. "He was going to go away with it and he was able to. I couldn't be prouder of Drew."

Terry's Rashun Dixon put Ocean Springs in the late deficit as he launched a Wineski curveball for a two-run homer to dead center field to give Terry a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning. Dixon also singled and threw out the lone Greyhound baserunner to attempt a stolen base from behind the plate.

Dixon's home run was one of the few pitches Terry hit hard off Wineski, who picked up the win.

"Rashun is a first-round draft pick," Kanode said. "He's unbelievable. Robby kind of left a curveball over the plate. The guy killed it, but we've got some never-say-die on this team so doom never entered our dugout."

Both Wineski and Butts went the distance, with Wineski just outlasting Butts for the win.

"Robby was dialed in all night," Kanode said. "He was locating his pitches well and he kept the ball down. You can't make a mistake to Dixon because you can see how good of hitter he is... . Robby pitched a remarkable game."

Travis Creel's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning scored Justin Garriga to give Ocean Springs an early 1-0 advantage. Creel struck again the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run to push the Greyhounds back ahead 2-1.

Terry tied it up 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning on an atypical fielder's choice. Derrick Harling hit a shot to right field to drive a runner home, but the Greyhounds' Michael Baxter threw out Michael Manley at second base.

Knowing full and well Ocean Springs is in the driver's seat, Kanode realizes today's game at Terry will be no picnic.

"We got a big, tall task ahead of us (today)," Kanode said. "Terry is a tough place to play. You see how good of a ball club they are."

Tupelo and Clinton are playing in the North State finals. The championship series begins on May 15 at Trustmark Park in Pearl.