The second-half of Northwest Rankin’s dynamic duo made sure there would be no last-inning drama Monday night.

Southern Miss signee Jordan King scattered three hits, struck out nine and held Vicksburg (19-10) scoreless in a 10-0 mercy-rule shortened game at Bazinsky Field. The victory sends the defending state champion Cougars (30-4) into the Class 5A North State championship series against the either Clinton or Madison Central.

&#8220We have the best one-two in the state of Mississippi,” said Northwest Rankin coach Jeff McClaskey of King and ace Todd McInnis. &#8220We proved it last year and we are going to prove it again.”

The Gators ended their season on an evening that had as many blunders as missed opportunities. The beating was in stark contrast to Friday’s series opener when the Gators lost 7-6 to Northwest and McInnis. The Southern Miss signee struck out 16, but the Cougars needed a late rally to steal the first game of the series.

&#8220I needed to keep them off-balance with my offspeed stuff,” King said. &#8220I think they kind of lost their cool there, saying stuff to me when they were walking past me. Vicksburg’s a great team, but we played great defense.”

Northwest committed one fielding error in the third inning in an otherwise flawless performance. Vicksburg had opportunities in nearly every inning, but left nine men on base – seven of those in scoring position.

With Vicksburg trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the first, Jordan Henry walked and moved to second on a groundout. Steven Price then hit a single to center field. Kenny Tackett gunned down Henry at the plate to keep the deficit at 2-0.

&#8220That play hurt,” said Henry, an Ole Miss signee and one of three Vicksburg senior starters who played their last high school game. &#8220It’s one of those plays where you are out or safe and it will be a momemtum-changing play no matter what way it goes.”

The missed opportunities again caught up to Vicksburg in the third, when it stranded runners at first and third. In the fourth, Vicksburg loaded the bases with Henry, the team’s second-leading hitter at the plate.

He hit a shot to the shortstop McInnis, who caught the ball inches off the infield dirt.

The Gators had runners at second and third in the bottom of the sixth as well, but King got out of the jam with a groundout and a popout.

&#8220Nothing went well for Vicksburg High School tonight,” McClaskey said. &#8220We know they are a lot better team than what they showed tonight.”

Three Vicksburg errors and four stolen bases in the third inning increased Northwest’s lead to 5-0. The Cougars put the game out of reach with a four-run fourth inning. Taylor Cochran’s two-RBI double highlighted the rally.

Tyler Wells doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth for Vicksburg and the Gators jammed the bases with one out. King, though, struck out Tanner Woodson and got Henry on a lineout to keep the game at 9-0.

Henry and Steven Price singled for the Gators.

Sophomore Stanton Price pitched four innings and allowed nine runs on six hits. Avery Mathes pitched the final two innings. An RBI single by Cochran in the top of the sixth provided the winning margin.

&#8220It’s hard to turn loose a quality group of seniors, a quality group of players,” Vicksburg coach Jamie Creel said. &#8220I want to thank the whole city for coming out and supporting us tonight, and I apologize on behalf of our players for the way we played.”