Biloxi claims first 'Battle of Back Bay' at MGM Park

BILOXI -- When the ball left Luther Woullard's bat, Austin Creel knew.

The D'Iberville shortstop struck the ball well, but Biloxi's starter thrust his hands into the air in celebration. The right-hander had trusted his defense all night and was rewarded.

Center fielder Trey Shaffer had to size up the ball at first, but eventually snapped his glove around it to secure the 2-0 victory in the inaugural "Battle of Back Bay" at MGM Park.

"It was an unbelievable experience. The best experience of my life," Creel said. "It was awesome; a dream to play in this kind of park."

Both fan bases showed up in force Friday night to watch the first high school game played at the Biloxi Shuckers' new home.

"You can't ask for anything better with the back drop and the amount of fans. I don't think you'd ever see anything better at a high school game unless it's a big-time playoff game," new Biloxi coach Eddie Lofton said. "For the second week of the season, to be sitting here with all these fans at this kind of venue, what else can you ask for if you're a high school."

Admittedly, Creel had jitters when he took the mound in the top of the first, but he settled in and ended up throwing a complete-game shutout, striking out seven.

D'Iberville's Andrew Bird was dominant early on as well, striking out the first four batters he faced, and six of the first seven.

He took a no-hitter into the bottom of the fourth, when Biloxi shortstop Elijah Nelson legged out an infield single on a chopper down the third base line.

"He was cruising, dialed in right there. He's a hard thrower and strikeout type guy. I thought he threw well tonight," D'Iberville coach Cragin Gilbert said of Bird, who finished with seven strikeouts. "We just had (offensive) opportunities where the ball found the glove."

Creating chaos

Lofton has talked several times about "creating chaos" on the bases. With an abundance of athleticism on his first Indians roster, Lofton plans to play to his team's strength.

After witnessing a pitchers duel for much of the game, chaos struck in the bottom of the sixth.

With the bases loaded and one out, Biloxi (3-1) shortstop Elijah Nelson knocked a ball to the left side. D'Iberville tried to turn two and get out of the inning but the back end of the double play wasn't in time, pushing across the game's first run. A balk then plated the Indians' second run.

"As soon as we got some people on base we were going. We might wait on one pitch to see what they do, but if we get a positive count we're going," Lofton said of the frame, where the Indians stole several bases and forced a couple miscues. "I've always heard it called chaos and that's just what we're trying to create -- a little bit of chaos."

The Warriors (1-2) had a chance in the top of the seventh to potentially tie or go ahead after Travis Bender singled to left field and Nathan Yennie walked with two outs.

Woullard, who was 2-for-3 with two singles up to that point, drove a ball to center field, but Shaffer was there to make the final out.

Next up

Biloxi will travel to East Central on Saturday for a 2 p.m. first pitch. D'Iberville hosts Long Beach at 11 a.m. Saturday.

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 10:11 PM with the headline "Biloxi claims first 'Battle of Back Bay' at MGM Park ."