Riding a large wave of momentum, the Laurel Golden Tornadoesroared past Brookhaven’s Panthers 17-3 Monday in the Class 4Aregion tournament on Moyer Field. The victory forced another gameto determine the region champion.

Laurel (19-8), fresh from whipping George County 12-3 in theconclusion of a rain-delayed game carried over from Saturday night,exploded for 12 hits against Brookhaven, including back-to-backsecond-inning homers by designated hitter Justin Tucker and firstbaseman Jay Bankston in the abbreviated, 5-inning game and thePanthers trailing 15-3.

Defensively, the Panthers kicked the baseball around like asoccer ball, committing 5 errors.

Brookhaven head coach Randy Spring started junior pitcher DariusPerkins on the mound and he lasted 3.1 innings. Perkins gave up 11hits, struck out 3 and walked 4. Matt Walker replaced him in thefourth.

Ben Smith (8-1), a William Carey College signee, handcuffedBrookhaven with a 7-hitter. He struck out 4 batters and walked2.

The Tornadoes scored 3 runs in the first inning and added 7 morein the second when 10 batters went to the plate.

Brookhaven got 2 singles from leftfielder Brooks Hall. ThePanthers got a long double from W.T. King and Perkins followed witha 2-RBI single past the shortstop.

In the fourth, trailing 10-2, Hall ripped an RBI single to rightfield. Laurel, the designated home team, responded with a 7-runfourth.