MONTICELLO – Lawrence County was among the winners in Tuesday’s Day 2 action, at the Southwest Mississippi Spring Break Baseball Classic. The Cougars edged old rival Franklin County 5-3 in the fourth of the day’s 5 games. In other games, North Pike defeated Loyd Star 12-1, Mendenhall handled Franklin County 11-1, Tylertown edged Hazlehurst 6-4, and Hazlehurst squeezed past Bogue Chitto 8-6.

Three games are slated for Jimmie Davis Park today, with another full slate of 5 games on tap for Thursday. The week-long classic will conclude on Friday with 2 games. A total of 14 teams, including all of the public high schools in Lincoln County, are participating in the event.

“It was a perfect day for baseball,” said LCHS head coach and tournament host Cory Keyes. “We had great weather, and a lot of great friends from throughout the area came and visited our ballpark. It couldn’t have been much better.”

Keyes’ struggling Cougars got a much-needed win over Franklin County, but it wasn’t easy. Lawrence County banged out 12 hits -all singles- but could put together just 5 runs. Franklin County, meanwhile, did virtually nothing against Cougar starter Will Jackson for 5 innings, but rallied for 3 runs on 4 hits in the sixth, to make quite a game of it.

Kody Smith, Patrick Little, Cade Turner, and T-Tez Cole each had 2 hits for Lawrence County. Benard Selman had 2 for the Bulldogs.

In going the full 7 innings, Lawrence County’s Jackson gave up 6 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. Left-hander Kade Clanton also threw a complete game for Franklin County.

Earlier in the day, Franklin County took it on the chin against a hot Mendenhall team. Mendenhall broke open a close game with 8 runs in the fourth inning. Catcher Nathan Jolly had 2 hits for the Tigers, and Choc Hubbard hit a 2-run homer. Derrick Brumfield had the Bulldogs’ only hit.

N. Pike 12, Loyd Star 1

The day began at 10 a.m., with red-hot North Pike hammering Loyd Star 12-1. The Jaguars broke the game open with a 7-run fourth inning. Austin Smith went 4-for-4 to lead an 11-hit North Pike attack. The Jaguars got a combined 3-hitters from pitchers Jacob Fleming and Levi Wishart.

Brandon Canny, Logan Smith and Cori Crowe had the only hits for Loyd Star.

Two of the best games of the day featured the Hazlehurst Indians. Early in the afternoon, the Indians left the potential tying and winning runs on base at game’s end in a 6-4 loss to Tylertown. Marcus Jordan and Xevon Steadford led Hazlehurst with 2 hits each. Tylertown’s Edward Holmes struck out Hazlehurst’s final 3 batters with the bases loaded.

The final game of the night was a dandy between Hazlehurst and the Bogue Chitto Bobcats. Hazlehurst jumped to an early lead, then held off Bogue Chitto for the remainder of the night. The Bobcats had the potential tying runs on base when a strikeout ended the game.

Catcher Marcus Coleman led the Indians with 3 hits.

Brock Roberts and Keith Wells each had 2 hits for Bogue Chitto.