DAPHNE—The Daphne-Fairhope baseball series showdown Friday and Saturday was both a replay of the 2009 6A state playoffs as well as a dress rehearsal for what may come later this post season.

Fairhope took the series 2-1, (13-12, 14-2, 3-10) but the Trojans got the distinction of handing the Pirates their first loss of the year in game three. Fairhope's record stood at 11-1 with an extra win over DHS in the semifinals of the BayBears Classic tourney and the Trojans finished with a 5-5 mark.

Both coaches set up the early inter-area three-game series format to help get ready for their respective area runs which start Friday for Daphne hosting Satsuma at 6 p.m. for an Area 4 kick off with games two and three at Satsuma Saturday (noon start). Fairhope kicks off the Area 3 race by playing two at Foley Friday, March 19 (4:30 p.m.) and one at home the next day at noon.

"We wanted to get a feel for the three-game set," Fairhope head coach Stu Fuller said. "Three games in two days is stretching the pitching a little bit. But that's what you have to do to get ready for the rest of the season."

The three-game format is also used throughout the state play-offs as well.

Daphne head coach Joe Hutchins said a practice series makes sense, especially when you can test yourself against a top-notch program.

"The whole idea is, it's a three-game series against a good team and it helps us get ready for area (this) week. And

Fairhope's loaded. I mean they are really good. And we play young. If you make some mistakes and we did in that first game today, they are going to jump on you and they did. You know Daryl Norris is always tough and really hard to come back on. I thought our defense did a little better today and in that second game (Saturday) we got great pitching from Brandon (Peterson) and we were able to hit the ball and score runs."

Fuller said he regretted seeing the streak end, but was proud of how his players mounted a late rally in spite of trailing by several runs. "What can you say, twenty hits in the first ball game, four in the second. But, we didn't quit. And you have to tip your hat to (Brandon) Peterson, he located the ball well and we hit some balls in the air. It was a fun ride — 11 games — but now we regroup and we can get ready for our first area series against Foley.

The Pirates will play this weekend hosting Bob Jones Friday at 6 p.m. and Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa Saturday at 11 a.m. and Faith Academy at 4:30 p.m. before playing the Okalahoma teams Monday through Thursday all at 6:30 p.m.

High lights of the DHS-FHS series beginning with game one included Ashton Johnson (2-0) getting the three-hit win in four innings and Cody Etheridge getting his second save for the Pirates by staving off a late DHS rally in the 13-12 win. Fairhope's Peyton Fuller hit a three-run homerun, Kaleb Naseman had three hits and an RBI, Jerrod Hathcock and Norris had two RBIs each and Wes Kent had an RBI sac-fly.

For DHS, Jordan Blanchette, Russ Mosley, Tyler Powell and Dillon Schaniel each had two RBIs.

In game two, Fairhope took a 14-2 win with Daryl Norris (4-0) pitching for a four-hit, five-inning, 10-run-rule victory, his fourth straight win. Garrett Pitts went 4-for-4, Evan East went 3-for-3, Chase Domino had three hits, Norris also got two hits. For DHS, sophomore Kyle Reese hit a two-run homer with DH Blake Taylor on by way of a double.

In game three, Peterson picked up his third win in four starts in a 10-3 five-hitter. Blanchette was 3-for-3 with five RBIs and Tyler Powell drove in three runs off two hits for the Trojans. Fairhope had hits from Pitts, East, Kent and Norris.