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The Ariton Purple Cats split the first two games in their second round Class 2A State Baseball Playoff Series with the Wicksburg Panthers on Thursday.

After going up 2-0 early in game one, Wicksburg came back to take the game 7-3. Caden Colier, Myles Tyler and Dalton Murphy scored one run each for the Cats in the loss. Easton Kilpatrick pitched six innings and struck out three batters, while giving up seven hits and five earned runs.

For Wicksburg, Gabe Glover went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run, one RBI and three runs. Easton Dean also hit a home run. Drew Colon pitched all seven innings and gave up five hits and one earned run with three strikeouts.

Game two was all Ariton, however. The Cats went up 4-0 in the first inning and led 8-1 going into the fifth. While Wicksburg did score four runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 8-5, Ariton proceeded to score four more unanswered runs to secure the win and force a game three.

Lawson Leger went 3-for-5 at the plate for Ariton with three runs, while Aven Cook went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs. Jessie Pelham also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double. Austin Evans pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts, while giving up seven hits and four earned runs.

For Wicksburg, Glover went 2-for-4 with another home run, one RBI and two runs. Grant Calhoun pitched four and 1/3 innings and gave up four hits and five earned runs with three strikeouts.

Ariton and Wicksburg will close out the series Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. in Ariton.