A pair of seniors pushed the Southern Nash Firebirds through six innings Tuesday.

And then, with a game and perhaps the season on the line, Firebirds coach Jeff Flowers handed the ball to a sophomore.

Kyle Shields recorded two groundouts with the bases loaded to seal a 4-3 win over SouthWest Edgecombe.

Shields, a lanky right-hander, came in throwing fastballs, which the Cougars' bats seemed to struggle to adapt to after more than six innings of Taylor Joyner's offspeed stuff.

"I wasn't trusting my fastball that much," Joyner said. "It was my curveball and changeup."

With the win, the Firebirds tie Nash Central with three conference wins. Southern Nash plays at Wilson Fike on Thursday in the regular-season finale.

Nash Central has two more games, tonight against Northern Nash and Thursday at Rocky Mount High. Should the teams finish in a tie, the Firebirds hold the tiebreaker, due to their head-to-head win in the Rocky Mount Invitational Baseball Tournament earlier this month.

Joyner's first home run of the season, with one out in the sixth inning, looked to just be icing on the cake. He had drilled that belt-high fastball to straight center field, and given the Firebirds a three-run cushion.

But he gave up four hits and a walk in the seventh, letting two runs in, before Flowers gave the ball to Shields.

With SouthWest Edgecombe starter Scott Tharrington giving up very few hits (three in six innings), the Firebirds had to get creative to score runs.

Jeremy Hamilton reached base after being plunked in the side to lead off the first, then advanced on a stolen base, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly.

Two innings later, he stroked Tharrington's first pitch over the left-field fence for a home run.

Hamilton took a hit to the groin in the seventh, but stayed in to catch the final frame.

H. Williams Kellenberger can be reached at 407-9950 or hwkellenberger@coxnc.com

SWE 000 001 2 – 3 11 0

SN 102 001 x – 4 3 1

WP: Taylor Joyner (6 1-3IP, 3R, 3ER, 11H, 2BB, 3K); LP: Scott Tharrington (6IP, 4R, 2ER, 3H, 3BB, 7K). S: Kyle Shields

HR: Jeremy Hamilton (SN); Taylor Joyner (SN); D.J. Edmondson (SWE).

JV: Southern Nash 10, SouthWest Edgecombe 4