By Brad Greer
Some say getting that first victory of a new year is always the hardest, but for South Panola’s 13-3 five inning  romp over Cleveland Monday night  the outcome was never in doubt.
Led by Jacob Fennel  and Chris Casiday’s three hits each, the Tigers belted out 14 hits while rallying from an early deficit to earn its first win of the 2016 baseball season. Cleveland meanwhile fell to 2-1 on the year.
Senior right-hander Turner Rotenberry overcame a rocky start to record the complete game pitching victory. The Northwest Mississippi Community College football signee surrendered three runs on five hits in the first two innings, but then limited the Wildcats to one hit over the remaining three innings.
“After losing the first two games Saturday, this was an important game for us that we really needed to win. We have got three tough games ahead of us this weekend in Jackson and hopefully this is the spark we need to be successful,” said Rotenberry who helped his own cause at the plate with a single and a run scored.
Mason Wilkerson’s RBI single in the  top of the first to drive home Fennel gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead before Cleveland responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame and one in the second to take a 3-1 advantage.
From there on out it was South Panola as they battered four Wildcat pitchers to the tune of 11 runs over the following three innings. The Tigers also gave Cleveland’s catchers’ a workout by stealing nine bases.
South Panola scratched across a run in the third to make the score 3-2 as Chase Durham reached on a hit-by-pitch and later came home on a wild pitch. The floodgates opened in the fourth as the Tigers scored six runs on five hits before an out was recorded. Casiday doubled to lead off the inning followed by Turner Rotenberry’s and leadoff hitter Cole Rotenberry’s consecutive  singles to produce the tying run.
Following a Noah Willis walk, Fennel delivered a two-run single into left to give the Tigers a 6-3 lead. Durham then laced a single past the shortstop that chased in Willis. Durham accounted for the final run by coming home on a passed ball.
The hit parade continued for South Panola in the fifth as they scored four runs on six hits to put the game out of reach.  Doubles by Willis and Fennel coupled with run scoring singles by Cole Rotenberry and Wilkerson highlighted the inning.
Casiday and Fennel each recorded a double and two singles while Cole Rotenberry and Wilkerson adding two singles each. Durham, Zach Hopper and Turner Rotenberry chipped in singles to round out the hitting. Kyle Weaver stole two bases and score two runs in a pinch-running role.
“I gave up some hits early on with some pitches that I left up in the zone but once we got the big lead I basically just threw the ball over the plate and let them hit it. I knew my teammates had my back and would make the plays defensively. I have to give all the credit to my teammates for giving me the run support I needed,” said Turner Rotenberry, who two earned runs on six hits recorded while walking three and striking out three batters.
South Panola’s Junior Varsity was also victorious with a 7-5 win as Ryan McCurdy’s two-run triple in the first proved to be the difference maker. James Kyle Browning added a RBI double in the second. Brayden Locke and Braydyn Lee provided singles. Tripp Still, Hunter Hudson, John Railey and Chris Brown all produced runs.
McCurdy started on the mound and went 1.1 innings before Brown added 2.2 innings of relief.
South Panola returns to the diamond today at Madison Central for a 2 p.m first pitch. The Tigers will then square off against UMS-Wright (Ala.) at Northwest Rankin beginning at 10 a.m Saturday morning before closing out the Mid- Mississippi Classic against Florence (Ala.) at 3 p.m. at Pearl High School.
 South Panola opens its home slate Monday by taking on Winona at 5 and 7 p.m.