Hinds Community College continued its high-scoring ways and moved a step closer to both a state and national championship Thursday night.

Marshall Boggs went 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and the Eagles blew the game open with a big fifth inning to beat Meridian Community College 6-2 in the first round of the MACJC state tournament in Raymond.

With the win, Hinds (39-5) clinched a spot in next week’s Region XXIII tournament in Eunice, La.

Hinds will face Northwest Mississippi in the winners’ bracket of the state tournament today at 2:30 p.m. at Joe G. Moss Field. Northwest beat East Mississippi 9-7 in another first-round game on Thursday.

East Mississippi plays Meridian in an elimination game today at 11 a.m. The winner will face the Hinds-Northwest loser in another elimination game at 6 p.m.

Thursday marked the 10th time in 11 games that Hinds (39-5) has scored at least six runs. It is 10-1 in that span.

After Meridian took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Hinds tied it in the second on an RBI double by Tyler Cox and then took the lead for good by scoring four times in the fifth.

Kyle O’Keefe scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Quade Smith, and Boggs’ two-run single later in the inning made it 5-1.

Matt Jones brought in Hinds’ final run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

Randy Bell (11-0) allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings to earn the win for Hinds. He gave up nine hits, but only walked one batter and struck out six.

Graham Ahlrich followed with 1 1/3 innings of shutout relief, and Austin Sanders pitched a perfect ninth for his 12th save of the season.

Jaylon Keys hit a solo home run for Meridian.

Northwest 9, East Mississippi 7

Northwest Mississippi scored four runs with two outs in the sixth inning, and went on to beat East Mississippi in the opening game of the MACJC state tournament at Hinds Community College.

Luke Latham hit a two-run home run for Northwest, which blew an early 3-0 lead before rallying in the middle innings to go back in front for good.

Stuart Chick drove in three runs for the Rangers and Dalton Dulin was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored. LeeMarcus Boyd had two hits, including a double, and scored twice.

Corley Reynolds and David Pimentel drove in two runs apiece for East Mississippi, and Blake Key was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

East Mississippi scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning to overcome the early three-run deficit, but couldn’t hold on to its lead.