, who has played the last six games of the playoffs after WC lost starting catcher Kevin Coker, then singled in Lieberman for a 4-2 lead. Hite singled in pinch runner Mark Different to put WC up three runs and solidify Temple’s plan to let Upton pitch the seventh, even with a rested Pettway.

“I surely felt like Carl deserved to finish the game,” Temple said. “I felt like I might bring Brian into the game if it were a one-run lead, but we got those couple runs and I felt like we needed the guy in there that had been throwing strikes.”

Upton got Russum to ground out, then Derek Underwood reached on an error, but a lazy fly by Rodney Hayes and a slow roller to University of Alabama signee Taylor Tankersley by USM signee Matt Shepherd ended the game.

“This team has a lot of heart and a lot of resilience and that is what won this game,” Tankersley said. “We might not be the most talented team we’ve said that all along but we will come out and fight you day-in and day-out.”

Ole Miss signee Billy Porter’s RBI single in the second inning gave the hosts the early advantage, but WC bounced back with a RBI flyout by Upton in the top of the fourth tied the game at 1.

Hattiesburg re-took the lead in the bottom of the fourth after Ole Miss signee Josh Grant doubled. Pinch runner Terry Murphy moved to third on a flyout, then raced home on a passed ball that didn’t get far past DeRossette. The junior catcher dove to try to tag Murphy, but was a second too late.

“Terry had a great read on that play and saw an opening and took it,” Knight said.

WC continued the see-saw battle in the top of the fifth on a Pettway RBI double that scored Mims to again tie the game at 2-2.

The Tigers had a runner on third with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but Upton coaxed a lazy foul ball flyout by Tatum to leave the runner stranded.

In the bottom of the sixth and the game still tied, Grant, who had two hits, belted a single, but was picked off first by DeRossette after a strikeout to end the inning.

“Carl did a tremendous, tremendous job. He is definitely the man,” said Tankersley, who pitched all four complete Game 1 wins in the playoff run. “He’s got quite a future ahead of him in this game.”

The Vikings’ future is almost as bright. Towne, Tankersley, Coker and Hite all graduate, but six starters return to a team that shattered the school record for wins in a season.

“This team is a big puzzle. We lost a piece of that puzzle and kept on going,” said Coker, tears flowing down his cheeks. “This is the best team I have ever been apart of. I can’t say anymore about them. They are the best.

“This is something I have hoped for and dreamed about, but I really didn’t think it would feel this good.”