By Brad Greer
Having lost eight of their last 10 games, South Panola head coach Justin Reed ask his team to just go out and have fun as the Tigers hosted Cleveland and Olive Branch in the Wes Smythe Classic Saturday afternoon.

The message was well received as South Panola received  two strong pitching performances and pounded out 19 hits on the day as they defeated Cleveland 12-7 and Olive Branch 7-3 in the last game.

South Panola (10-8) faces a crucial District 2-6A contest as they host Tupelo tonight at 6 p.m.
“We wanted the kids to relax and have fun today. Everything has been so dramatic this last few games. We have lost five games this season by two runs or less and there has been a lot of pressure put on the guys. But as you can see they are a lot more looser today and laughing and goofing around. We hit the ball extremely well and got two solid outings on the mound and hopefully this will carry on into the two big district games this week,” said Reed.

Mason Wilkerson picked up his second win of the season by tossing 6.2 innings against Cleveland in the opening game. The sophomore right-hander gave up 10 hits but received plenty of run support as the Tigers erupted for a seven-run third inning to win going away.
Rip Kirk drove in three runs while Dashawn Lindsay added two doubles and scored a pair of runs for South Panola who led 8-3 before adding four runs in the sixth. Cleveland closed the margin to 12-7 with four runs in the seventh but could not get any closer as Chase Durham came on in relief of Wilkerson to record the final out.

South Panola grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Kirk smacked a single into left to drive in Cole Rotenberry from second. Cleveland responded with a pair of runs in the following inning to take a 2-1 lead as Ben Woo and Dalton Lambre provided singles.

The Wildcat lead did not last long as South Panola sent 10 batters to the dish in the third. Kirk’s two-run single followed by RBI’s from Adam Cook and Morgan Tubbs highlighted the outburst. Hunter Ivy also provided a RBI double in the frame.

Cleveland picked up an unearned run in the fourth before the Tigers tacked on their final runs in the sixth. Landon Fullilove and Wilkerson registered singles in the nine-hit South Panola attack.
South Panola- 7 Olive Branch-3

Macen McGee scattered five hits over six innings on the hill as the Tigers eased past Olive Branch in the nightcap.

  South Panola scored single runs in the second and third innings before a big five-run fourth inning sealed the victory. Tubbs led the Tigers offensively with two singles and three runs driven in. Jesse Pearson chipped in with a double and a single that produced a run. Kirk continued his hot hitting with a pair of singles and two runs scored.

  Ivy added a RBI double in the fourth while Wilkerson, Lindsay and Cook chipped in with singles. McGee fanned five while issuing two walks and hit three batters. Durham again closed out the contest with a scoreless seventh inning.

Grenada-11 South Panola-2 (Friday)
  South Panola took a 2-1 lead going into the sixth inning before the visiting Chargers scored two runs to take a 3-2 advantage before plating eight runs on two hits in the seventh.

  Lindsay doubled twice and scored South Panola only hits as the Tigers fell to 1-5 in district play. Fullilove, Pearson, Ivy, Kirk and Carter Avan all singled. Ivy suffered the pitching loss by going 5.2 innings, giving up three hits (two earned) on five hits and two strikeouts to go with five walks. McGee, Durham, Kirk and Person spelled time in relief on the hill.

  South Panola Junior Varsity took a 9-1 victory over Grenada as Kyle Weaver supplied two doubles in the win. Cole Rotenberry and Zack Hopper doubled  while Turner Rotenberry singled twice and scored two runs. Jacob Fennel also singled and scored two runs.