The Parklane Pioneers had no trouble completing a sweep of Copiah Academy Thursday, winning both ends of a home doubleheader 7-1 and 12-2, respectively, to officially clinch a MAIS AAA playoff spot. Parklane (21-5, 15-3) has now won each of its first six AAA Division I series, pulling it into a three-way tie for first place in the division with Oak Forest and Jackson Prep.
But because Parklane took two-of-three from each of those teams, it would hold a tiebreaker for first-place in the event the teams finish in a tie atop the standings.
“It’s big to keep winning series,” Parklane coach Robert Young said of his team’s three-game sweep.
Parklane won Game 1 of the series on the road Tuesday night to begin the series sweep.
Tanner Whittington dominated Copiah on the mound in the early game Thursday, allowing just one run on four hits in a complete game performance. Whitting struck out five batters on the afternoon and helped his own cause at the plate with a team-high three base hits.
Jonathan Turner registered three RBIs for the game.
Carr Young took the mound in the nightcap, striking out nine batters in five innings of action. Parklane won in five innings thanks to the 10-run mercy rule. Young allowed two runs on five hits for the game.
Turner and Logan Yawn each provided two hits apiece for the Pioneers, who scored four runs in the first inning and three more in the second to quickly pull away on the scoreboard.
After Copiah pushed its only run of the game across in the top of the fourth inning, Parklane responded with five runs of its own to put the mercy rule into effect after a scoreless fifth inning.
Parklane has just one division series left on its schedule — a three-game set with East Rankin Academy next week.
“We just need to keep playing baseball everyday,” Young said.
