Tigers conclude season in slugfest

By Myra Bean

The South Panola Tiger summer baseball league ended the season 19-9-4, splitting games with Hernando Monday night.

South Panola lost the first game 4-3 but won the second 12-11.

Hernando used a three-run second inning to take charge of the first game. South Panola committed one on-base error which loaded the bases for Hernando. With two outs, Hernando loaded the bases again, but a ground out to second to force the third out, got the Tigers out of a tight situation.

South Panola scored its first run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Robbie Brown singled and drove home Tyler Benson who had doubled to start the inning. The Tigers added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, hoping to tie.

Monroe Harrison walked and worked his way to third base on a passed ball. Then he stole home base for the second run of the evening.

Brown, who was three for three on the night with three singles, singled and drove home Ethan Bright who had walked to get on base and worked his way to third on two passed balls.

Hernando shut down the rest of the Tigers in four straight outs to end the game.

Also getting hits for the Tigers were Benson, one double; Harrison, two walks; David Renfroe, one walk; Bright, one walk; and Colton Ales, one double.

Brice Belvin was the starting pitcher for the Tigers and took the loss. He was relieved in the third by Ales who pitched through the sixth inning. Renfroe pitched the seventh inning.

Game 2

The younger players took the field for the second game and it was nothing short of a slugfest.

The first inning lasted 45 minutes in a game with an hour and  a half time limit. The teams were only able to get in three innings.

Head coach Patrick Robey used different pitchers to give the younger ones some time on the mound.

Pitching for the Tigers in order were Bright, Matt Hendrix, Colby Gammill, making his high school debut, and Brian Fortner.

South Panola scored 10 runs in the first inning using 15 batters.

Hernando tied the game in the second inning, scoring six runs to add to a four-run first.

South Panola scored one run in the bottom of the second when Wesley Gregg scored on a passed ball to break the tie, 11-10.

Hernando tied the game at 11 in the top of the third. It was Brown who hit the winning RBI to drive home Bright who had singled to win the game in the bottom of the third.

Brown was again perfect at the plate. He was hit by a pitch to get on base his first time in the first inning. His second time at bat he also singled.

Hitting for the Tigers were Coty Bryant, single; Lee Self, two singles; Matt Hendrix, one single, two walks; Dane Broome, one single, one walk; Mitchell Babb, one single; Gregg, one walk; Bright, one single and Nolan Parker, two walks.