By Brad Greer

Even though they have played only five games, South Panola is off to a explosive start to the 2011 baseball season. The Tigers recorded their fourth straight game in double figure runs Wednesday night by defeating Olive Branch 12-9 in a makeup game that was postponed from last Friday.

Robey said that was the wettest game he had coached in nine years.

“Olive Branch has not played a game in a week and wanted to get one in,” Robey said.

South Panola ran its record to 4-1 on the season with a 14-3 five-inning victory  over visiting Cleveland Monday night at Tiger Field.

Lee Self registered the win on the mound for the Tigers as the senior improved to 2-0 on the season. Self surrendered one run on one hit while walking three and striking out three in three innings of work.

Sophomore Blake Darby worked the final two innings, giving up unearned runs on two hits while walking one and fanning a batter.

The Tigers touched up Cleveland starting pitcher Josh Burchfield for four runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning then struck for seven runs in the next inning to take a 11-1 lead.

Junior shortstop Chris Townsend led off the first inning with a single then scored two batters later on a Self RBI ground out. The Tigers loaded the bases later in the frame on a fielders’ choice by Bobby Epps and a pair of singles by Hunter Durham and Andrew Horne. Darby followed with a walk to force in a run to make the score 3-0. Chance Whitten then lofted a deep fly ball to center that plated courtesy runner Tevis Flowers from third.

After Cleveland scored a run in the second, the Tigers responded by sending 11 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the frame.

Mitchel Babb got the outburst started with an one-out walk then scored on a RBI double by Self.

Three consecutive singles by Horne, Epps and Durham extended the South Panola lead to 8-0. Following a Darby walk, Whitten drilled a two-run double into right to drive in Dickins and Flowers.Whitten later scored on a wild pitch to give South Panola an 11-1 lead.

The Tigers took advantage of three Cleveland errors on one hit in the bottom of the fifth  for the final margin of victory. South Panola ended with 10 hits on the night as Self, Horne, Durham and Whitten  collected two hits each while Townsend and Epps recorded singles.

South Panola will look to extend their winning streak tonight at Byhalia before hosting Lafayette County Saturday morning at 11 with the junior varsity followed by varsity action at 1 p.m.

The Tigers will participate in the Cleveland Tournament Monday and Tuesday.

Monday, the Tigers will play Lake Cormorant at 4:30 p.m. and Cleveland at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, the two top teams will play at 3:30 p.m., following the consolation game at 1 p.m.

Jr. Varsity

The Jr. Varsity round robin scheduled for next Thursday has been canceled because the other teams pulled out, according to Robey.