By Brad Greer
Having lost three games by a combined four runs in the Mid-Mississippi Classic last weekend, the South Panola baseball team took its frustrations out on visiting Winona Monday as the Tigers cruised to a 15-3 romp in four innings in their 2016 home opener.
Noah Willis drove in five runs with three singles and scored two runs while batting from the No. 9 position as the Tigers sent 12 batters to the plate in a eight-run first  after spotting Winona two runs in the top half of the inning.  Zach Hopper doubled and scored three runs for South Panola who improved to 2-5 on the season.
Chris Brown pitched two innings to earn the victory as the sophomore right-hander gave up three runs on four hits while walking four and striking out two batters. Luke Daniels tossed the final two innings in relief, surrendering one hit and fanning three batters.
Cole and Turner Rotenberry led off the first inning onslaught by reaching on walks as South Panola’s first seven batters reached base before an out was recorded. Mason Wilkerson added a RBI single while Kyle Weaver delivered a run-scoring double two batters later. Following a walk to Jacob Fennel that loaded the bases, Hopper was hit by a pitch to force in a run to give South Panola a 3-2 lead.
The inning continued as Braydyn Lee delivered a RBI groundout before Willis slapped a two-run single into right field to bring in Fennel and Hopper. Cole Rotenberry produced the final run of the frame with a RBI groundout.
Winona scratched across its final run in the second off two singles and two walks to make the score 8-3. South Panola tacked on four runs in the third off three hits and two Winona errors as Durham’s two-run double highlighted the inning.
South Panola added three runs in the fourth as the game was called due to the 12-run rule after four innings. Fennel led off by reaching on a walk before Hopper and Lee were both hit by a pitch to load the bases. Willis proceeded to drive a two-run single through the right side to widen the margin to 14-3. After a bunt single by Cole Rotenberry, Turner Rotenberry ended the game with a sacrifice fly to right that scored pinch- runner James Kyle Browning from third.
“This was a big confidence builder for our guys after losing three close games in Jackson. Both Chris and Luke threw well tonight and we put together some hits at the plate,“ said South Panola head coach Jake Mills after the game.
“Noah Willis had a very productive night offensively, he is the type of hitter that will spray the ball around and hit to the opposite field when needed to move runners over. I thought Braydyn Lee did a solid job behind the plate in his first varsity start in place of our regular starting catcher Chris Casiday. Although Braydyn is just a freshman, we feel like he can do the job on a consistent basis,“ said Mills.
SP JV 11, Winona 3
The South Panola Junior Varsity scored ten runs in the first inning in route to a 11-3 victory over Winona. The Tigers collected six hits as Nathan Herron delivered a two-run triple while Brayden Locke added a double that plated two runs. Luke Daniels tripled and scored in the first inning outburst.
John Railey added a RBI single and scored two runs for the Tigers. James Kyle Browning and Kyle Campbell registered RBI singles. Luke Weldon and Tripp Still drove in one run each with sacrifice fly’s.
Still gave up one run on one hit and struck out a batter in two innings on the mound. Justin Bolton tossed one inning in relief, surrendered two runs on three hits.
South Panola will host Water Valley, weather permitting, today at 5 and 7 p.m.