RAYMOND — Vicksburg got off to a good start against Clinton lefthander Andrew Gunn but couldn’t finish in the latter innings and left Hinds Community College’s Joe Moss Field with a 6-3 loss.

The defeat left the Gators (9-8, 1-2 Division 4-6A) with a split with the Arrows (7-9, 1-3) in the season series with one game remaining in two weeks. For Clinton, the game was a must-win because a loss would have given the Arrows two losses to both Vicksburg and division-leading Warren Central.

VHS coach Jamie Creel said his team was hurt by missed opportunities.

“We let some little things beat us,” Creel said. “The difference was Clinton got their bunts down and we didn’t. We failed to hit behind a runner and, the other time, our guy didn’t even make an attempt at the bunt.”

The missed bunt came in the fourth inning with the Gators trailing 4-3. Taylor Brocato and Jacob Thomas opened the inning with a pair of hits off Gunn. Justin Pettway could not advance the runners and struck out. Gunn then got a lineout double play to end the threat.

In the Gator fifth, Clyde Kendrick reached on an error and stole second, but could not advance as Gunn retired the next three Gators he faced, two by strikeout. Gunn retired nine of the last 10 he faced and more than made up for his tough start when he spotted the Gators two runs off three hits in the first inning.

“Andrew is a real savvy pitcher. When we play defense behind him, we’re pretty good,” Clinton coach Eddie Lofton said.

Creel was disappointed that his charges couldn’t do anything after the first against Gunn.

“We got to him, we just hit some balls at them and then we didn’t execute,” Creel said.

Brocato led the Gators with two hits and drove in one, that coming in the first when he singled in Cody Waddell. Lamar Anthony opened the game with a single and later scored on a flyout by Keaton Jones. He then added a run in the third off a RBI grounder by Jones after drawing a walk and then going to third base on a runner interference call to give Vicksburg a 3-2 lead.

Clinton answered with two runs in the bottom of the third to grab a 4-3 lead. Benji Barham scored on Blake Gober’s flyout to right and Kyle Washington scored on Alex Gunn’s single to left off Waddell.

Gunn struck out six in a complete game effort. Waddell struck out three and took the loss.

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com