McCOMB –The Lawrence County Cougars claimed two victoriesSaturday, in the Mississippi-Louisiana Classic, hosted by McCombHigh School. In the first game, at McComb’s Rotary Field, MartyBallard and Jake Russell combined on a 1-hitter, as Lawrence Countyedged Independence, 4-3.

Later, at Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, theCougars trounced Springfield 18-0, in a 4-inning affair.

With those wins, Coach Cory Keyes’ Cougars improved to 6-1 onthe young season. Lawrence County played 4 games in about 29 hourson the weekend, having split an important Division 6-4Adoubleheader with Brookhaven on Friday night.

“We had a good day,” Keyes said. “We had to scratch and claw forthe win against Independence. They’re a quality opponent. We hadsome bats to sort of get well against Springfield. Hopefully, thosebats will still be working when we face a little more velocity indivision play this week.”

Lawrence County, which won 2 of 3 in a week-long division seriesagainst Brookhaven, will face division newcomer Florence in 3Division 6-4A games this week.

Lawrence Co. 4, Independence 3

In the opening game, against Independence, 4-2, LawrenceCounty’s Marty Ballard and the Tigers’ Chris Hardy locked up in aquality pitchers’ duel.

Lawrence County grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third.After Nick Jackson singled, Zachary Summers bunted pinch runnerMurphy Peyton to second. Peyton advanced to third on a throwingerror, then scored on a Trent Hartzog sacrifice fly.

In the fourth, Taebyus Smith led off with a double for theCougars, then scored on Ballard’s sacrifice fly. LCHS led 2-0.

Meanwhile, Ballard, Lawrence County’s senior left-hander, washaving a fairly easy time of it against Independence batters.Speedy center fielder Josh Stewart led of the game with a single,but the Tigers never got another hit in the game. Two bases onballs, and a hit batsman, did get the Cougars in minor fixes in thefirst and second innings, but Ballard pitched out of them.

Ballard breezed through the third and fourth innings, but twowalks and a Lawrence County error helped Independence knot the gameat 2-2 in the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Joseph Evans started a Cougar rallywith a 1-out double. After an infield error and an intentional walkto Taebyus Smith, LCHS third baseman Mackenzie Woods hammered a2-run single to left, giving Lawrence County a 4-2 lead.

Two more walks got Independence back to within 1 run in the topof the sixth. With 1 out in the inning, Jake Russell relievedBallard. Russell proceeded to retire all 5 Tiger batters he faced,3 of them via the strikeout.

In earning his first win, Ballard struck out 4 in 5 and 2/3innings. He allowed 6 bases on balls.

Evans, Hartzog, and Smith had doubles for Lawrence County. Woodsand first baseman Nick Jackson had singles.

Lawrence Co. 18, Springfield 0

The late game at Southwest wasn’t nearly as competitive, thoughLawrence County managed to score just once in each of the first 2innings, as Nick Jackson and Zachary Summers had doubles. In thetop of the third, however, the dam burst on Springfield starterHunter Miller.

Lawrence County erupted for 13 runs on 9 hits in the inning.Jake Russell had 2 triples, and 3 runs batted in, in the frame.Jackson had a triple, and Summers, a double. Trent Hartzog had asingle and a double in the inning. Ballard, Smith, and Woods alsohad singles. When the carnage finally ended, LCHS had a 15-0lead.

Lawrence County added 3 more in the top of the fourth. JustinHewitt had a 2-run triple, and Dominique West had an RBIsingle.

Making his first start of the season, Cougar senior JohnathanStephens sailed through his 3 innings of mound duty. Dustin Freemanand Andy Freeman did lead off the second with back-to-back singles,but that was the only 2 baserunners Springfield had on the night.Stephens struck out 7 of the 11 Indian batters he faced. The finalout of the third came on a spectacular diving catch by centerfielder Dominique West.

Christopher Smith pitched the final inning for Lawrence County,retiring the Indians in order.

Lawrence County will next be in action on Tuesday night, whenthe Cougars host Florence in a Division 6-4A junior varsity/varsitydouble-header.