SOUTHAVEN – By the time Warren Central got ready to play Vicksburg in the third game of the Class 5A playoffs Saturday evening, everyone that could reach home plate was on the pitching rotation.

The two top pitchers – Eric Douglas and Nick Carson – pitched brilliantly to get the Vikings into a winner-take-all game against Vicksburg. The team’s third pitcher, Josh Gordon, threw a complete game Thursday afternoon, so he was out of the mix.

Only one other pitcher, Jeff Ward, had thrown more than seven innings this season, so coach Randy Broome put the ball in the senior’s hands.

In the regular season finale against Brandon on Monday, Ward pitched in relief but complained about a sore arm.

He doesn’t have a blazing fastball or dancing curve, but Ward had the Gators on their heels all night Saturday.

&#8220He pitched awesome,” Vicksburg’s Jordan Henry said.

Ward allowed a first-inning run and a fourth-inning two-run home run to Gerald Mims. The teams went into the bottom of the seventh tied at 3.

The Gators loaded the bases for Tyler Wells, who was hit by a pitch to give the Gators a 4-3 victory and advance to the second round of the playoffs.

Ward had not hit a batter all game until a pitch slipped out of his hand.

Afterward, he took the loss on his shoulders, but he was the only one.

Players and coaches from both sides lauded Ward’s performance. Vicksburg coach Jamie Creel said it was one of the gutsiest pitching performances he had ever seen.

&#8220I never thought it would end that way,” Wells said. &#8220You have to give it to Jeff, he pitched a great game and battled all the way.”

Coming into the Vicksburg game, Ward had only pitched 20 1/3 innings and had started three games.

&#8220He gave us everything we could have asked from him,” WC coach Randy Broome said.

Ward and the Vikings’ top three pitchers will all graduate this year, leaving the Vikings with an untested, unproven rotation for next season.

The Vikings finished the year with a 20-11 record.

Vicksburg, meanwhile, will prepare for defending Class 5A champion Northwest Rankin. The two teams are scheduled to start their best-of-three series on Friday at 6 at Northwest.