Generals capture Southern League Championship
Jackson sweeps Braves to clinch championship
PEARL, MS -- The Jackson Generals defeated the Mississippi Braves 11-3 Thursday night at Trustmark Park, completing the sweep to clinch the 2016 Southern League Championship.
For the Generals, Paul Blackburn (1-0) picked up the win, holding the M-Braves to three earned runs on 11 hits. Brandon Sisk and Matt Anderson tossed the final three frames to close out the game. Offensively, Tyler O'Neill led the club with a 3-for-6 night at the plate. Four other Generals added two hits apiece.
The Generals took a 4-0 lead in the first. Benji Gonzalez and Tim Lopes both walked to lead off the inning. Dario Pizzano then doubled to right, giving Jackson a 1-0 lead. Four straight walks then brought home the other three runs to make it 4-0.
Mississippi got one run back in the second. Levi Hyam and Kade Scivicque both singled with two outs. Johan Camargo then delivered a RBI-single to left, cutting the Generals' lead to 4-1.
In the third, Dustin Peterson blasted a solo homer to left-center. Carlos Franco then doubled and scored on a Joey Meneses base hit to right field, making it a one-run game at 4-3.
Jackson responded in the fourth. Lopes and O'Neill both singled to put runners at the corners with two out. Pizzano then ripped a RBI-single to right, extending Jackson's lead to 5-3.
The Generals extended its lead to 8-3 in the fifth. Adam Law reached on a force out and stole second. Ian Miller then reached on an error by the Braves third baseman before Gonzalez delivered a two-run triple to right. O'Neill later singled to drive in the third run of the frame.
Ryan Casteel's sacrifice fly in the seventh brought home Gonzalez to make it a 9-3 contest. A walk to Leon Landry loaded the bases for a Marlette two-run double to left, padding Jackson's lead over the Braves 11-3.
Patrick Weigel (1-1) started but exited with two outs in the first. He surrendered four earned runs on one hit, five walks and one strikeout. Chad Sobotka came on in relief and tossed 2.1 innings. He surrendered one hit and a walk while fanning three.
Jackson: 11 R 12 H 0 E
Mississippi: 3 R 14 H 1 E
W: Paul Blackburn (1-0)
L: Patrick Weigel (1-1)
Time: 3:02
Attendance: 1,269