After a long layoff due to cold and wet playing conditions, theBrookhaven Panthers and McComb Tigers squared off Tuesdasy night onMoyer Field in a Divisin 6-4A showdown.

McComb sophomore hurler Pat Barnes kept Brookhaven under controlas the Tigers etched out a 12-5 win over the Panthers. Barnestossed seven innings, allowing 5 earned runs on 12 hits. He issued2 walks and struck out 10 Brookhaven batters.

Brookhaven smashed McComb 15-1 in the preliminary JV game.

Brookhaven travels to Port Gibson on Friday. Game time will beannounced.

McComb 12, Brookhaven 5

The Panthers (2-5, 0-2) continue to get good pitchingperformances during this young season. However, fielding problemshave come too often.

McComb (4-3, 2-0) opened the scoring in the top of the first,when Jarrod Dyson scored off a Brookhaven error, to give the Tigersan early 1-0 lead.

The Tigers, coached by veteran skipper Chuck Freeman, added 4runs to their lead to make the score 5-0 in the second. McComb’sBrandon Erwin reached on an error. Gary Burris was hit-by-a-pitch.Dyson singled to load the bases.

Three batters later, Chancy Spiers doubled to score Erwin,Burris and Dyson. Barnes singled to score Spiers.

Brookhaven got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third.Reggie Smith and Josh Townsend singled. Brooks Hall singled toscore Smith. Kern Hoff singled and drove in Townsend to cut thePanther deficit to 5-2.

McComb added a single run in the fourth and fifth innings, toextend its lead to 7-2. Michael Lewis and Chris Reid crossedhomeplate for the Tigers.

In the bottom of the fifth, Brookhaven reduced their deficit to4 runs, 7-3. Ben Goza singled and advanced to second on thethrow-in. W. T. King singled home Goza.

The Tigers used the top of the sixth to add 2 more runs to theirtotals on the night, leading 9-2. Spiers walked. Barnes singled andmoved to second on the throw-in. Reid’s singled scored Spiers andBarnes.

The Panthers scored their final runs of the evening in the

sixth, trailing 9-5. With 2 outs, Perkins doubled. Pinch-hitterGrant McDonnieal walked. Two batters later, Reggie Smith groundedout to score Perkins. Townsend walked. Hall singled to load thebases. Hoff singled to score McDonnieal.

McComb added 3 insurance runs in the seventh, with Erwin, Dysonand Jessie Boyd scoring.

The Panthers tried to rally in the bottom of the inning.Pinch-hitter Cody Dunaway reached on an error. Perkins singled butBarnes would strike out the next 3 Brookhaven batters to end thegame.

“If we make the plays we are suppose to, we win the games,” saidPanther head coach Randy Spring.

Hall led the Panther offensive with 3 singles. Perkins added asingle, a double and scored. Hoff singled twice.

Hall suffered the loss, throwing 6.1 innings, allowing 12 runs(10 earned) on 12 hits. He walked 1 and struck out 3.

Reggie Smith threw the final two-thirds of the seventh, allowingno runs, a hit with no walks or strikeouts.

McComb was led by Erwin with 2 doubles, a single and 2 runsscored.

In the JV game, four Brookhaven pitcherscombined on a 2-hitter. Starters Reggie Smith, Josh Townsend, JoshPatrick and Matt Walker contributed an inning apiece in the win.Townsend picked up the win, allowing no runs, no hits and walkswith 2 strikeouts.

Scoring for the Panthers were T. J. Qualls (4), Cody Dunaway,Grant McDonnieal, Adam Ogden (2), Josh Patrick, Britt Hinton (2)and Walker (2).

Collecting hits for Brookhaven were Dunaway (2), McDonnieal (2),Ogden (2), Patrick (2), and Walker.