TUPELO - Tucker Akin had some trouble adjusting to the umpire's strike zone Friday, but not for long.

Tupelo Christian Prep's junior lefthander recorded eight strikeouts and scattered five hits to lead the Eagles to a division championship-clinching 10-1 victory over visiting Smithville at Andy Reese Field.

TCPS (12-8, 8-0) clinched a tie of the Division 4-1A title for the third consecutive season with its sixth straight win. The nine-run win also gives the Eagles a tiebreaker edge over the Seminoles for a first-round bye in the upcoming state playoffs.

"We're excited about getting a bye, but we don't need to be too happy," said Akin, who underwent elbow surgery in the offseason. "At the first of the season we didn't play our game. Now, we're hanging with teams from 1A to 6A."

Akin fired a three-hitter last week to give TCPS a win against 6A South Panola.

Smithville (9-12, 7-2) was the only team in the division with a chance to block the Eagles' road to first place. TCPS beat the Seminoles 8-6 in nine innings March 27 on the road.

"Tucker throws a change, curve and fastball ... for strikes," TCPS coach Will Lowrey said. "He's a bulldog on the mound. "He was hitting his spots tonight, but he had to adjust to the ump. Every ump has a different zone."

Akin helped his cause at the plate in the fifth when he stepped under a hanging curve from Seminoles starter Landon Carter for a three-run homer to extend the Eagles' lead to 7-1.

"I got my driver out," Akin said, then laughed, referring to his golf-swing cut at the pitch. "I helped myself out. Everybody's coming around with their swing and helping us out."

Zachary Bridges' solo homer in the fourth inning gave TCPS a 4-0 lead.

The Eagles took a 3-0 lead in the first on a two-run single by Drew Carter and a single by Lee McBunch.

Smithville scored its lone run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Turner Sanderson that cut the TCPS lead to 4-1 at the time.

The Eagles scored their final three runs in the sixth with help from base hits by Andrew Soper, Zachary Tybor and Carter, who led the team with three singles.

gene.phelps@journalinc.com