SP varsity fastpitch wins in Battle of Batesville while Jr. High and Jr. Varsity fall; tournament canceled due to rain on Saturday

By Myra Bean and Brad Greer
Despite giving up two homeruns Friday night, the South Panola Lady Tigers downed Oxford 7-3 in four innings in the Battle of Batesville Tournament.
The tournament got off to a good start Friday, but early morning rains Saturday and a lack of drainage on the fields caused tournament directors to cancel Saturday activity.
The Lady Tigers got on the boards first with a single by Chloe Morgan in the first inning. Morgan came home on a Khalena Hentz double RBI to center field.
South Panola increased the lead in bottom of the second, scoring four runs for a 5-0 lead.
Sydney Morgan singled and scored on a Nautica Edwards single RBI. With two outs, the Lady Tigers rallied for more runs.
Mallory Myers hit a double RBI driving Edwards home. Chloe Morgan followed with her second single of the night. Myers and Chloe Morgan scored on an Ali Cummins double RBI.
Oxford struck in the third inning on back-to-back homeruns across center field fence. The first was a two run homerun followed by a solo homerun to cut the lead 5-3.
South Panola scored a couple of insurance runs in bottom of the fourth. Mallory Myers scored on a Cummins single RBI while Chloe Morgan scored on a wild pitch after she singled to get on base.
Myers beat out the throw to first on a bunt and advanced on a wild pitch.
Kaitlin Tidwell picked up her first win of the year, pitching all four innings. She struck out one, allowed six hits, and one walk.
Leading at the plate was Chloe Morgan who batted 1.000 (3-for-3), with three runs and two stolen bases.
Other hitters include Mallory Myers, 2-for-3, one double, two runs; Cummins, 2-for-3, one double, three RBIs; Hentz, 1-for-2, one double, one RBI; Sydney Morgan, 1-for-2, one run; and Edwards, 1-for-2, one run.
Greene Co. Tech (JV) 8,
SP 2 (4 innings.)
The Lady Eagles of Paragould, Ark. used a six-run fourth inning to break open a tight game with South Panola’s Junior Varsity squad to close out the tournament Friday night.
Greene County took a 2-0 lead in the third on three singles  before blowing the game open with six runs with no outs in the fourth.
South Panola avoided the shutout in the bottom half of the inning by plating a pair of runs on three walks and two hit batters. Rebekah Cook and Tyler Hamby accounted for both Tiger runs. Janarria Sanford garnered South Panola’s lone hit with a bunt single in the second inning.
Cook pitched three innings in the circle while Hamby tossed the final inning.
The Lady Tigers will play in the Spring Fling in Northeast Park, Meridian this weekend.
Friday, they will play Northeast Lauderdale at 1:30 p.m. and at 4:30 p.m. they will play Union.
Saturday, the Lady Tigers jr. varsity will play East Central at 10 a.m. The varsity will play Pascagoula at 11:30 a.m.
The final South Panola game will be played against Philly at 4 p.m.