South Panola shocks No.1 ranked NW Rankin

Published 10:02 am Wednesday, March 16, 2022

With two weeks left before the start of district play, South Panola pulled off their biggest win of the young baseball season with a 8-1 victory over No.1 ranked Northwest Rankin last Thursday (March 10) at Tiger Field.

  South Panola (5-4) got a masterful pitching performance from starting pitcher Tate Anderson and Michael Johnson as the duo limited the Cougar bats to five hits and no earned runs while combining for 15 strikeouts. 

Anderson, a Mississippi Delta CC signee, fanned 10 while scattering four hits over 4.1 innings. Johnson closed out the game with 2.2 innings in relief with five strikeouts and one walk

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The Tigers led 3-1 before a five-run fourth inning put the game away as South Panola sent 11 batters to the plate in the frame. Three consecutive singles by Johnson, Adain Williams and Baylor Scammon loaded the bases with no outs. 

After a strikeout, Trey Drumheller walked to force in a run before Brayden Martin was hit by a pitch to reload the bases.

  John Blockmon delivered the big blow with a two-run single to make the score 7-1, and two batters later Johnson reached on an error to bring home Mari Boyd for the final run. 

South Panola collected seven hits with Boyd leading the way with two singles. Martin, Blockmon, Johnson, Williams and Scammon all added singles. Martin and Johnson also drove in two runs each.

  South Panola will spend Spring Break on the Mississippi Coast. The Tigers are scheduled to play Tupelo Christian Prep Thursday and St. Aloysius-Vicksburg and St. George’s of Memphis in a Friday doubleheader before returning home Saturday.

The Tigers will open district play at Horn Lake next Tuesday (March 22).