BRIAN PETTWAY of Warren Central looks back at the plate after sliding by Northwest Rankin catcher Brian Kirby in the first inning.(The Vicksburg Post/MELANIE DUNCAN)

[04/19/02]Like it did last year, Warren Central opened the Class 5A state playoffs in dominating fashion.

Brian Pettway’s monumental walk-off home run in the bottom of the fifth his 14th of the season ended the opener, 11-1, and gave the Vikings (23-7) a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series Thursday night.

Game 2 is tonight at 7 at Northwest Rankin (22-10).

“They really didn’t hit the ball hard against us,” Northwest coach Jeff McClaskey said. “They put the ball in play and found the holes and that’s what a good team does.”

Pettway’s blast put the final touches on the win, but it was big first and fourth innings that drowned the Cougars.

Starting pitcher Tyler Brown lasted 1/3 of an inning and gave up six runs on two singles and four walks. The Vikings got RBI singles from Joey Lieberman, Carl Upton and a two-RBI single by Jeremy Ferguson to take the quick 6-0 lead.

Warren Central strung together five straight hits in the fourth highlighted by another two-RBI single by Ferguson to take a 10-1 lead after the fourth.

“We do that a lot,” Lieberman said. “We score five or six runs in an inning, then we lay off for about three innings, let them climb back in the game, then put it on ’em.

“If we can continue that intensity throughout the game, we can handle anybody.”

Northwest got a solo home run in the third from Josh Johns against Upton (8-4) for the lone run. Upton pitched a complete game and struck out seven.

He loaded the bases twice and had Northwest runners on second and third once, but each time got out of the jam.

“Carl threw well, but I think he can throw better,” WC coach Randy Broome said. “The biggest thing was that when he got in a jam, he got out of it. That’s what propelled us there.”

Lieberman paced the Vikings’ 11-hit attack with three singles, while Upton had a pair of singles. Tom Corbin hit an RBI single, Jeff Mitchell had a double and a pair of RBIs and Chris Hite had an RBI single in the first.

Alex McIntosh came on in relief for Northwest in the first and threw 32/3 innings and struck out six. Brown earned the loss.

The Vikings, who didn’t lose a playoff game on their run to last year’s state title, will look for the sweep tonight. If Northwest wins, a deciding third game will be Saturday at Viking Field.

“I’m hoping we can get to Saturday,” said McClaskey, who once coached at Porters Chapel Academy. “I think our No. 3 and 4 guy can throw against their 3 or 4 guy. We’ll have to hit the ball better to get there.”