Warren Central was on the verge of a series sweep, a few days’ rest, and its first trip past the second round of the postseason in a decade.

And then, it wasn’t.

Grenada scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning Thursday to steal Game 2 of its Class 6A playoff series with Warren Central, 5-2, and force a deciding Game 3 tonight at Viking Field.

The Chargers’ only hit Thursday was an RBI single in the sixth inning by Bradley Sanford.

The winner of tonight’s game will face the winner of the Desoto Central-Madison Central series next week in the Class 6A quarterfinals. Desoto and Madison will also play a Game 3 tonight.

Warren Central has not advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs since reaching the Class 5A South State finals in 2005. Its last ­— and so far only — state championship came in 2001.

“We were a hit away from busting it open,” Warren Central coach Conner Douglas said. “We have to get it done when it matters. (Friday) night is what makes this game fun. It’s do or die, cream will rise to the top.”

Marcus Ragan delivered a two-run double in the fourth inning to give the Vikings (16-11) the lead, and they extended it to 4-1 in the sixth when back-to-back batters were hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Starting pitcher Layne Tedder had thrown five-plus innings of no-hit ball, but also 91 pitches. After Tedder walked the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth, Douglas went to ace reliever Brooks Boolos, who fared no better.

Boolos walked the first batter he faced to load the bases, then surrendered Sanford’s RBI single to trim the margin to 4-2. A bases-loaded walk brought in another run, and a passed ball and double steal gave Grenada the lead.

Warren Central went down in order in the seventh, and the series shifted back to Vicksburg for the deciding game.

Douglas said the key to victory for Warren Central tonight will be to get some of its offensive swagger back. The Vikings are averaging more than seven runs per game this season. So far in this series, they’ve scored a total of nine on nine hits.

“It’s all mental right now. Our confidence at the plate is non-existent,” Douglas said. “We are more than able, we just have to get our minds back on the right track of believing we are great.”

Warren Central vs. Grenada

Game 1: Warren Central 5, Grenada 2

Game 2: Grenada 5, Warren Central 4

Game 3: Today, 6 p.m., at Warren Central