It hasn’t been a very good season for the Vicksburg Gators, but there’s still going to be a postseason.

Latonio Brown struck out 14 batters and threw a no-hitter as the Gators beat Lanier 8-1 in the first game of a doubleheader Monday. They finished the sweep by winning game two 13-2, and in so doing also clinched a berth in the Class 5A playoffs.

Vicksburg (4-14, 3-6 Division 4-5A) had lost 13 of its last 14 games before Monday’s win, but still will be the No. 3 seed from Division 4-5A. Three of its wins this season have come against Lanier, which finished last in the division.

Vicksburg will face either Saltillo or New Hope in the first round of the playoffs. The best-of-three series begins Friday in North Mississippi, and Game 2 will be Saturday at Bazinsky Field. If a Game 3 is necessary, the Gators will go on the road Monday.

“It is a great feeling to make the playoffs, especially with how tough this season has been,” Vicksburg coach Derrick DeWald said. “I am proud of my guys for not giving up and continuing to show up every day to work, when they could have easily quit.”

The Gators scored nearly as many runs in Monday’s doubleheader (22) as they had combined in their first 16 games of the season (29). They had 12 hits in game one and eight more in game two.

Dewayne Sims had three hits in the first game, while Chris Farrish was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

On the mound, Brown was nearly perfect. He only walked two batters, struck out 14, and the Gators did not commit an error behind him. Lanier’s run scored on a wild pitch in the second inning.

“This was the most complete game of the season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Especially with the playoffs later this week,” DeWald said.

The Gators continued their roll in game two. They jumped on Lanier for eight runs in the first inning and five more in the second, and wrapped it up via the mercy rule in only four innings.

Gage Ederington went 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored, while Marshall Banks had an RBI double and scored twice. Lanier’s pitchers issued seven walks.

Ederington also got the start on the mound and pitched 2 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits and one walk, and struck out six. Banks finished up and struck out two batters in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

WC 2, D’Iberville 0

Tyler McRight delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the sixth inning to break up a scoreless tie, and Warren Central (18-5) beat D’Iberville (11-10) in a game played at Southwest Mississippi Community College.

Warren Central only had three hits in the game, but two of them came in the sixth inning. Conner Wilkinson led off with a single, and two batters later John Austin Burris reached base on a dropped third strike that would have ended the inning.

McRight followed with his double to center field that brought home both runners to give the Vikings the lead.

Warren Central pitchers Taft Nesmith, Farmer Abendroth and Booth Buys combined on the shutout. Nesmith started and threw three innings, while the other pitchers threw two innings apiece.

The WC hurlers combined to allow four hits and three walks, and struck out nine.

D’Iberville’s Peyton Warren pitched five scoreless innings before leaving with a no-decision. He allowed one hit and four walks, and struck out four.

Warren Central will host Ridgeland on Thursday.

Benton Academy 10, PCA 0

Kendal Preston went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored as Benton Academy routed Porters Chapel Academy in a game shortened to five innings via the mercy rule.

Gage Pierce went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored for Benton, which scored four runs in the fourth inning and three more in the fifth to blow open a close game.

PCA only had four hits. Most of those came in the second inning, when Garrett Hutchins, Glen Alan Kittrell and Ryan Collins had three straight singles to load the bases with no outs. Benton got out of the jam with a force out at home and a line drive double play, however, and the Eagles only had two more baserunners the rest of the game.

Port Gibson 2-11, Jefferson Co. 1-2

Jeremy Washington doubled twice and had four hits, Jacory Rankin drove in four runs on the day, and Port Gibson (8-7, 4-4 Division 7-3A) secured a berth in the Class 3A playoffs by sweeping a doubleheader from archrival Jefferson County (0-9, 0-7).

Phi’delric Barber pitched a complete game for the Blue Waves in game one. He didn’t allow an earned run, struck out seven and walked three. Trey Thompson got the win in game two.

Port Gibson’s baseball and softball teams have earned playoff berths in the same season for the first time in school history. Both are coached by Tilden Young.

“It was a difficult task, but I set out a goal to get both the softball and baseball teams to the playoffs, and I accomplished it,” Young said. “The boys and girls both bought in to the system of baseball that I taught them to appreciate. Now the biggest problem is going to be being in two places at one time.”