By Brad Greer
 While most casual observers think high school summer league baseball is mostly a laid back atmosphere where coaches get together and talk vacation plans, is hardly the case.
For second year South Panola head coach Jake Mills, playing a full summer slate of games is key in evaluating players for the upcoming season.
“I have seen a lot of progress being made by this group of guys. They’re growing and getting stronger and we are replacing a lot of seniors  from this past year’s team, having to figure who can play where and moving guys around so we can get some idea where we stand when tall workouts begin,“ said Mills.
“The guys are really playing hard and that is the only thing I can ask them to do. They are growing as a team and individual wise that will help them develop down the road as we get ready for next spring,” said Mills.
Last week, South Panola hosted the State Games of Mississippi tournament and despite losing two of three games, were highly competitive.
“We are excited and honored to be the host team for the State Games. The tournament has been going on for quite a number of years in the southern and central part of the state but this is the first time it has been held in North Mississippi. We have had a great time with a number of solid teams participating and hopefully we can host it again in the near future,” said Mills.
After dropping the first game of pool play to Lafayette County Wednesday, South Panola bounced back with a 6-4 victory over Center Hill Thursday behind the pitching of  Anderson Wilder. The rising junior scattered three hits on two runs while striking out three in four innings of work to earn the win. Ryan McCurdy tossed the final two innings, surrendering two unearned runs on one hit and fanning two batters.
The Tigers produced five hits on the day with Nathan Herron supplying two RBI’s on two singles. Brayden Locke drove in what proved to be the winning runs with a single up the middle past a drawn in infield to plate McCurdy and James Kyle Browning that broke a 4-4 deadlock in the fourth.
Blaine Ware and Luke Noah contributed with singles while Dalton Barefoot walked and scored a run in the third.
Olive Branch-12 South Panola-8
The Tigers jumped out to an early 7-2 lead against Olive Branch Friday, but could not hold onto the advantage as the Conquistadors stormed back with seven runs in the third inning.
Barefoot led the offensive charged South Panola with two singles and three runs driven in. Herron and Browning each collected two singles while Noah added a double and single while producing an RBI as part of a four-run second inning. Ware also singled and drove in two runs. Braydyn Lee, Tripp Still and McCurdy contributed with singles. Locke also scored two runs after reaching on a walk and error.
Still, Herron, Noah and Justin Bolton all saw time on the mound for South Panola. The Tigers will be back in action tomorrow as they host Lafayette County in a double header beginning at 4 and 6 p.m.