BILOXI (Interstat) — The Rocket City Trash Pandas open the Southern League (AA) playoffs on the road Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, against the Biloxi Shuckers in Game 1 of their series at Keesler Federal Park. First pitch is scheduled under clear skies with a temperature near 86 degrees in Biloxi, Miss.

Rocket City enters the postseason with a 73-64 record. Biloxi is 66-67. The Trash Pandas won five of six meetings when the teams last met in Rocket City from Aug. 18-23 and have taken seven of the past 10 head-to-head matchups. Rocket City won the series’ first two games and its final three, including a 7-3 victory on Aug. 18 and an 8-1 win on Aug. 23. Biloxi won 4-2 on Aug. 20.

Rocket City is expected to start Nate Snead, who is 6-8 this season. Biloxi is expected to start Josh Knoth, who is 6-3. Jacob Cozart is a player to watch for Rocket City. He is 11-for-38 with two home runs and nine RBIs over his past 10 games. He went 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs in Rocket City’s 13-3 win at Tennessee on Sept. 17. He also had two hits and an RBI at Chattanooga on Sept. 12 and two hits with a home run and three RBIs on Sept. 10. Austin Gordon worked five scoreless innings in the Sept. 17 victory, and Arjun Nimmala added a home run and an RBI.

J.D. Thompson is a player to watch for Biloxi. He has allowed one earned run in three of his past four starts. Thompson struck out 23 batters over 20 innings in those outings. He tossed five innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts in Biloxi’s 8-3 win over Pensacola on Sept. 17. He allowed one earned run over six innings with six strikeouts against Birmingham on Sept. 5 and one earned run over 4 1/3 innings against Tennessee on Aug. 29. Matthew Wood hit a home run and drove in four runs in the Sept. 17 game, while Jesús Made added a home run and two RBIs.

Rocket City has won eight of its past 10 games. Biloxi has won six of its past 10. The Shuckers will host Game 1 before the series shifts to Rocket City for Game 2 on Tuesday, Sept. 22, and Game 3 on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a final score of Rocket City 8, Biloxi 6. Interstat’s ELO system gives Biloxi a 55.6 percent probability to win.