MONTICELLO –The Lawrence County Cougars defeated the Jim HillTigers 24-1 in Division 6-4A high school baseball action Tuesdaynight at Jimmie Davis Park. The Cougars opened up an 11-1 leadthrough three innings, then exploded for 13 more in the bottom ofthe fourth. The game was halted via the ten-run rule after fiveinnings.

With the win, Lawrence County improved to 2-3 overall, and 1-0in the division. Fourth-year Cougar coach Chris Clark was pleasedwith the way his team played in its home and division opener.

“I thought our kids did a good job,” Clark said. “Frankly, JimHill isn’t going to be one of the stronger teams in our division,but our kids couldn’t worry about that. We had to take care of ourbusiness and I thought our guys did that. We swung the bats well,and Luke (Watts) threw very well.”

While LCHS batters were banging out 12 hits and racking up theruns, Watts was limiting the visiting Tigers to just one run on onehit. He struck out nine, allowing only three Jim Hill hitters toreach base.

Jim Hill took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, and would havescored more, but for a spectacular diving catch by LCHSrightfielder Marlon Stanfield, on a line drive off the bat ofBryant Jones. Lawrence County responded with three in the bottom ofthe first off Tiger lefty Jeffrey Moore. Marlon Stanfield had asingle and Casey Williams an RBI double.

In the second, LCHS exploded for eight runs, with a three-rundouble by freshman second baseman Joseph Evans being the biggestblow. Michael Thompson banged a triple off the

center-field wall, and Nick Jackson had and RBI double. KleinHarbour and Trent Hartzog also had hits in the inning. The Cougarsled 11-1.

It stayed 11-1 until the bottom of the fourth, when LawrenceCounty battled around twice and scored 13 times. Jonathan Stephenshad two RBI hits in the inning. Jackson added a two-run double, andStanfield had a two-run single. Hartzog also had a hit.

Stanfield, Williams, Stephens, and Evans each had three RBI inthe game. Catcher Matthew Jackson had the lone hit for the Tigers,a first-inning single.

Lawrence County defeated Jim Hill 19-0 in junior varsity play.Freshman pitchers Trent Hartzog, Joseph Evans, and Mackenzie Woodseach pitched one shutout inning.

The Cougars resume Division 6-4A play Friday night, againstBrookhaven, at Moyer Field.