VALDOSTA — Lowndes High scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth, and turned a tie game into an 8-3 victory Thursday night in the Wildcat Invitational at Valdosta’s Bazemore Field.

The win makes No. 6 Lowndes 3-1 this season. The Vikings play again tonight against Tallahassee Lincoln.

“Give credit to these players. They played a good game,” Lowndes assistant coach Rusty Redshaw said. “We got hitting from a bunch of guys in the later innings. Chris Mederos pitched a good game for us. We’re glad to win the ballgame.”

Berrien had rallied to tie the score 3-3 in the top of the sixth. But in the bottom of the inning, Lowndes’ bats came alive and took the lead back.

The inning started with Matt Harper ripping a long double to right center, his second of the day. When the throw back to the infield was misplayed, Harper raced into third. Dax Spriggs followed with a pop fly behind first base that fell just out of the reach of three Rebels, and Harper trotted home to put the Vikings back on top, 4-3. Spriggs stole second, then scored when John Simpson lined a double into the left field corner. Two batters later, Lowndes put on the hit-and-run, and pinch hitter Colby Yates lined a single into right field, scoring Simpson to make it 6-3.

Berrien changed pitchers, but Jarrod Pass walked to load the bases. Justin Gray then hit a hard ground ball that got by the shortstop, who was playing in, and JonMichael Redding and Yates came home, giving the Vikings an 8-3 lead.

Berrien loaded the bases in the seventh, but could not score.

Berrien got on the board first Thursday, scoring a run in the second. Justin Hobbs walked to open the inning, then took second on a wild pitch. Mitchell Browning bunted, and pitcher Chris Mederos’ throw got by the first baseman and went into right field. Hobbs scored to make it 1-0.

Lowndes tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Josh Reeves opened the inning with a single and went to second on a groundout. Then Harper ripped into a pitch from Berrien starter Kyle Wood, and knocked it off the wall in right center. Reeves scored easily to tie it 1-1.

The Vikings went on top with two runs in the top of the fourth. Leading off the inning, Redding launched a towering shot down the left field line that sailed over the left field fence and landed in front of a pickup truck for a solo home run. Later in the inning, Mederos’ fly ball was misplayed by the right fielder, and Gray came around to score, making it 3-1.

Berrien came right back to tie it in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and third, Justin Hobbs lined an RBI single to right, scoring Lewis. Browning then lifted a sacrifice fly to right, and Dustin Hobbs scored to make it 3-3.

But then Lowndes exploded in the bottom of the sixth, and came out with the win.

For Lowndes, Harper was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles. Redding scored a pair of runs. Mederos allowed one run and two hits in five innings of work. Southpaw Tanner Fudge got the win in relief.

Browning had two RBI for Berrien. Wood retired the first nine batters he faced, but tired in the later innings, and took the loss.

The Wildcat Invitational continues today. Lowndes faces Tallahassee Lincoln at 4:30 p.m. at Valdosta High, with Valdosta and Lincoln to follow at 7 p.m. Madison County faces Berrien at 6 p.m. at Lowndes High.