For three years, leadoff hitter Marcus Ragan has been the guy tasked with getting Warren Central started.

On Tuesday night, he did that and a whole lot more.

Ragan drove in four runs with a pair of triples and scored another run to lead the Vikings to a 5-2 victory over Grenada in Game 1 of their second-round Class 6A playoff series at Viking Field.

“He’s that X-Factor. When he goes, our offense goes. He’s a gamechanger, and we’ve known that for years,” Warren Central coach Conner Douglas said.

Game 2 of the best-of-three series is Thursday at 6 p.m. at Grenada. If Grenada (12-8) wins, Game 3 will be back at Viking Field Friday night at 6.

“It’s huge to get that first win,” Douglas said. “We’ve got a little confidence going on the road, we’ve got (Layne) Tedder going on the mound, and it’s always nice to get a win in the playoffs — especially when you don’t play your best baseball.”

Ragan, a senior, leads Warren Central with a .415 batting average and has been the catalyst for the offense since moving into the lineup as a sophomore.

In the third inning Tuesday, with the Vikings trailing 2-0, he played a slightly different role.

The Vikings (16-10) loaded the bases with no outs for Ragan, who lined a triple down the left field line to clear the bases and give them a 3-2 lead.

In the fifth inning, Ragan tripled to center field to bring in Tedder and make it 4-2. Ragan then tacked on another run with a straight steal of home plate.

“It’s the most exciting play in baseball,” Douglas said. “I got him creeping down the line and when (the pitcher) lifted his leg he was gone.”

The two big hits proved to be the difference in what was otherwise a tight pitchers’ duel.

Warren Central’s Taft Nesmith allowed two runs, one earned, on five hits and a walk in seven innings. He struck out nine and retired the last six batters he faced.

“He threw great all night. We just kicked the ball a couple of times behind him,” Douglas said. “He’s thrown great all year, but he threw another gem tonight.”

Grenada’s Cade Morgan gave up five runs in six innings, but only five hits — two of them the triples to Ragan.. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out nine.

Kesner Spencer went 3-for-3 and scored both of Grenada’s runs. Tedder scored two runs for WC.