[02/20/02] Madison Central took advantage of a mistake-filled fourth inning Tuesday to upend Vicksburg in the Mid-Mississippi Classic at Pearl.

The Jaguars (3-0) used a home run, two singles and a pair of Vicksburg (1-2) errors in the big inning to roll to a 7-3 win.

“That one inning killed us, and we didn’t rebound after that,” Vicksburg coach Jamie Creel said. “We showed a lack of character from that standpoint. We play good teams night-in and night-out, we’re going to learn not to make those mistakes.”

An error to start the bottom of the fourth with the score tied 3-3 followed by a single and a sacrifice fly gave Madison a 4-3 lead. Two outfield overthrows that missed the cutoff man allowed a runner to score and one to advance to third base.

Sam Self put the finishing touches on the rally with a two-run home run to left field that scored Dillon Sudduth for a 7-3 lead.

Chris Middleton, who relieved Justin Boler in the fourth, got John Still to strike out to end the inning.

“We had our chances throughout the first four innings, but we never got the big hit,” first-year MC coach Gregg Perry said. “The home run really put us over the top.”

Sudduth led Madison with a first-inning home run on the second pitch of the game and a single. Mark Mazzi had three singles.

After the Jaguars’ rally, though, the Gators’ bats went silent.

After tying the game in the top of the fourth 3-3, Madison pitcher Justin Smith came on in relief for three innings, allowing no hits.

The Gators threatened in the top of the seventh against Smith.

Matt Middleton walked, but was caught in a rundown between second and third for the first out. J.J. Brown reached on a fielder’s choice, then stole second and third before Smith got Justin Henry and Ryan Grey to end the game.

“With a big lead, we wanted him to come in and throw strikes,” Perry said of Smith. “He’s just a sophomore and he really did a good job for us.”

John Rohrer led VHS with a pair of singles, while Paul Gorney had a double and Josh McBride had an RBI single. Vicksburg had four hits.

The Gators took the lead early, though, on a wind-aided double by Gorney in the top of the second. He advanced to third on a Rohrer single. Rohrer stole second the Gators had six stolen bases and both scored on McBride’s single.

Madison scored once more in the second and one in the third before Vicksburg tied the game in the bottom of the third when McBride, who had walked, scored on a passed ball.

“It seemed like every time we’d get something going, they’d come up with a big hit and that is a credit to Madison,” Creel said. “They played well and ran some arms out there and make you look silly.”

The Gators will be back in action Thursday at 7 p.m. at Pearl.