[5/6/04]It all comes down to this for Warren Central.

Two days after squandering a 4-0 lead at Picayune, the Vikings will return to the diamond tonight in a game that will send one team to the Class 5A Final Four, while the other heads to the house in preparation for next season.

WC (22-10) can reach the South State Championship with a win over the Maroon Tide (20-10) tonight at Viking Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.

“The most we’ve lost all year in a row is two, and then we’ve bounced back from it,” WC coach Randy Broome said. “We don’t have that luxury this time around.

“Today is a good day to come out, put yesterday behind us and get ready for tomorrow,” Broome added Wednesday.

Tonight’s game should have the feel of the opener as the same two pitchers are set to square off.

Picayune will turn to junior Heath Stevens, while the Vikings will counter with Mark Different, who won his 10th ballgame on Monday.

Stevens pitched six innings in Monday’s loss and came back to throw an inning of relief on Tuesday night.

“Mark has been big for us all year, and has come through in a lot of situations,” said WC’s Vaughn Mims, who has hit two home runs in the series. “He’s got a good slider, but if we jump on that fastball, I think we’ll be all right.”

Stevens allowed three home runs on Monday night all on fastballs. He has been clocked in the mid-80s.

He came on in the seventh inning Tuesday night with the Tide holding a two-run lead and shut the door.

Picayune was able to get that lead thanks to several Viking miscues. Fielding errors and passed balls accounted for the bulk of the Tide’s runs.

“We have what we call the rule of three,” Broome said. “If we commit three or more errors, we have a very good chance of losing that game. Sometimes, like Monday, it doesn’t play out, but we have to make the plays.”

The Vikings committed three errors Monday night in the win, but also committed three on Tuesday night.

“We have a bunch of young guys out there and nerves play a big role in baseball,” Mims said.

The winner of tonight’s game will play Oak Grove starting on Saturday in the South State series. Warren Central has not advanced to the state semifinals since the 2001 state championship season. Picayune won a Class 4A title in 2002.

“We’ve jumped on them early in both games and taken leads,” Mims said. “Last night they came back on us. I think the key for us Thursday is to jump on them early and stay on them.”