BRANDON – It was all about getting ahead. When Northwest Rankin pitcher Todd McInnis did, the Vicksburg Gators were putty in his hands.

The two innings when he didn’t the Gators blasted a pair of three-run homers. The six earned runs were the most the Southern Miss signee has given up in a Northwest Rankin uniform but it wasn’t enough for the Gators to get a win.

Two ghastly throwing errors allowed the defending Class 5A champion Cougars to slip out of the Gators’ grasp and take a 7-6 win in Game 1 of this Class 5A quarterfinal series.

Game 2 is set for tonight at 7, weather permitting, at Bazinsky Field in Vicksburg. If the game is postponed, it will be rescheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. at Bazinsky.

Errors aside, VHS coach Jamie Creel said McInnis’ 16-strikeout performance was the bottom line.

&#8220We battled but we had too many strikeouts,” Creel said. &#8220Against the top half of our lineup, he made us look silly. Somehow, we’ve got to scratch out something.”

Cougar coach Jeff McClaskey agreed that McInnis’ control of the Gators’ top three in the order, who went 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts, was key.

&#8220No doubt and it’s probably the best he’s done. But he’s been doing it for two years now against quality opponents and Vicksburg is one of those,” McClaskey said.

McInnis got in front of the Gators’ hitters with a fastball approaching 90 mph, then mixed in a biting slider and an equally effective curve. He struck out every VHS batter at least once. Included in the K-fest was six of the last seven batters he faced. He ended the game by striking out the Gators’ top three in the seventh.

&#8220The whole thing for me is getting in front in the count,” McInnis said. &#8220That sets up my off speed stuff. The 16 Ks is the most since Olive Branch in last year’s playoffs.

&#8220Early in the game, I got behind in the count and then they could sit on my fastball.”

Despite McInnis’ brilliance, Vicksburg (20-9) had a shot at the upset. Trailing 5-3 in the top of the fourth, Vernon Wolfe drew a leadoff walk and Judd Mims followed with a hit into left, just the second of the game for the Gators.

Then came Stanton Price, who belted McInnis’ offering out of the park to right.

&#8220I left one up,” McInnis said.

The three-run shot put Vicksburg ahead 6-5.

The Gators had an opportunity to extend that lead in the fifth after Jordan Henry led off with a double. He went to third on an error but was left there after McInnis came back to strike out Judd Mims with the bases loaded.

The Cougars got the break they needed in their half of the fifth. Price gave up a leadoff hit to Kenny Tackett and then walked Anthony Doss. A double steal moved the runners into scoring position.

Price struck out Taylor Cochran for the first out, then got Wesley Johnson to hit a weak chopper back to the mound. Price checked the runners and then went to first base. The throw was high and wide, allowing both Tackett and Doss to score, putting the Cougars ahead 7-6.

&#8220We got a lucky break with the error,” McClaskey said. &#8220This game kept going back and forth but we got lucky in the end.”

Northwest (29-4) grabbed a 2-0 lead off Doss’ two-run homer in the first. Vicksburg bounced back with a three-run shot from Gerald Mims in the second that just cleared the foul pole in right.

In the Cougars’ fourth, Price walked the first two faced. After a single by Doss loaded the bases, a passed ball chased home Clint Woods. The relay throw back to Price got away, allowing Tackett to also score. Doss took third and then scored on Cochran’s fly out to center to make it 5-3.

The Cougars finished with eight hits off Price, who took the loss after 5 1/3 innings. Doss had two hits and scored three runs.