The host Brookhaven Academy Cougars rallied for three runs inthe bottom of the sixth inning to pull out a 7-6 win and eliminatethe Canton Panthers in the second game of the best-of-three seriesin the first round of the MPSA AA State Baseball Playoffs.

Brookhaven Academy beat Canton 3-2 Tuesday night in the openerof the series.

Simpson County will host Brookhaven Academy Tuesday, May 8, inthe second round of South State.

The Cougars (16-10) trailed the Panthers 6-4 going into thebottom of the sixth. Brookhaven Academy closed the deficit to 6-5with one run. With two outs and 2-2 count, junior Chad Lagronebelted a 2RBI single that gave Brookhaven Academy a 7-6 edge andthe eventual win.

“We got through it,”said Brookhaven Academy baseball coach RonRushing. “We need to start hitting the ball.”

Brookhaven Academy also committed five errors and Canton madefour. The teams collected seven hits apiece.

Lagrone and Paul Coker led with two singles apiece. Ben Daviscollected his 16th-consecutive hit (single). Also singling wereAdam Smith and Layne Moreton.

On the mound, Lagrone (3-1) got the win in relief of starterCoker. Lagrone allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, struck out 5 batters andwalked 1. Coker allowed 4 runs (2 unearned) on 2 hits, struck out 3and walked 2.