In another blue-collar effort, the Brookhaven Panthers took care of business Friday afternoon and whipped McComb’s Tigers 11-1 in 5 innings. Pitcher Seth Porter picked up the win, tossing a 4-hitter.

     Coach Randy Spring’s Panthers raised their record to 6-1-1 overall and 2-0 in Region 6-5A. McComb’s once-proud and powerful program continued to struggle as the Tigers fell to 2-5 and 0-2.

     “We went out there and took care of business thus week,” said Coach Spring. His Panthers had shut out McComb 12-zip Tuesday night at McComb.

     “Seth did a really good job,” said Spring. “He filled the zone with strikes and we played good defense behind him.”

     It was the fifth straight game for the Panthers to produce a flawless effort on defense. Spring said he never had a team go five straight games without an error.

     Porter gave up only one extra base  hit, a fourth-inning double to shortstop Adrian Brown who came around to score McComb’s lone run of the game. Porter struck out 6 batters and walked none.

     Offensively, the Panthers broke loose for 15 hits. They were directed by catcher Dillon Newell who went 3-for-4. Shortstop Houston Case, centerfielder Drew Jones, leftfielder Reed Jones and designated hitter Genoa Sartin collected 2 hits apiece.

     Played on a damp, windy afternoon, the varsity game was moved up to 4 p.m. to avoid the threat of a rainout. A large tarpaulin had covered the infield and protected it from nearly 2 inches of rain late Thursday night.

     The game ended with the 10-run mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth. J.B Perkins led off with a walk from McComb relief pitcher Jake Simpson and later scored on back-to-back singles by Reed Jones and Newell.

     The Panthers took a 2-0, first-inning lead. Andrew Culver drove in the first run with a single to right field. He scored the game’s second run on a throw to second base.

     It was 5-0 in the second. Sartin led off with a single to left-center. Porter laid down a sacrifice bunt and Peyton Clark delivered an RBI single to right, making it 3-0. Case singled and Perkins lofted a sacrifice fly to right, making it 4-0. Case scored on a balk by McComb starter Henry McDonald.

     McDonald was lifted in the third with no out and replaced by Simpson.  McDonald gave up 7 hits and 6 runs, 4 of them earned.