DAPHNE, Alabama — The Pirates swept Daphne in their final area series Friday as Fairhope claimed the 6A Area 3 championship with a perfect 6-0 mark in regular-season league play.

The Trojans battled but fell by one run 2-1 and 4-3 (eight innings) in the first two (area) games and dropped the tie-breaker 4-1.

Robertsdale earned the Area 3 runner-up playoff berth. Fairhope improved to 27-4 overall and will host McGill-Toolen Catholic Friday in the first round of the 6A state playoffs.

“Daphne played a pretty good series with good defense for the most part,” Fairhope coach Stu Fuller said. “But they just battle. That’s what they do and we knew it would be a battle. They kept us off stride. I don’t think we swung particularly well, but were fortunate to come up with some clutch hits in some situations and made some clutch pitches.

“We’re proud to be in the shape we’re in right now. Our guys worked hard and I think our play reflects where we're at. Especially with some outstanding performance off the mound and it seems like no matter who we run out there, they have done the job.”

The first two games were the ninth and 10th one-run losses taken by the Trojans this year. Daphne coach Joe Hutchins chalked up the final results to youth.

“I think you have to take that youth into account. Experience is a part of it you deal with. But I’m proud of how these guys hung in there, stayed close and kept our chances alive until the end. I told them going in, if we score four runs we’ll have a chance. We have not won a game all year when we score three or less. You know Petey (Brandon Peterson) pitched a great game (two) for us but we turned three routine plays into three runs. Defensively we need more experience. We’re going to miss him. Not only on the mound but at the plate and all around. But we have good pitching coming up. I think we’ll be okay. Credit Fairhope’s pitchers. They did their job and had a couple of solid plays defensively to back it up.”

Quint Fields (3-1) threw a two-hitter for the Pirates to wrap up the series and get the game three win with seven strike outs.

Ethan Hunt was the game two winner after seven innings with seven strike outs and seven hits before Corey Childress came on in relief in the eighth inning for the save as the Trojans threatened with the tying run in scoring position. Peterson struck out 10 and also scattered six hits in six innings in the loss.

Toby Thomas took the win in game one at Fairhope and helped himself with a home run. Peterson also hit a solo shot in the first game.