MONTICELLO – Lawrence County dialed up Dr. Longball on Tuesday, whacking three homeruns in an 11-1 win over the McComb Tigers in the Division 6-4A baseball opener for both schools.

Lawrence County got just six hits in the game, but three of them left Jimmie Davis Park. T-Tez Cole hit two homers, and Marcus Atterberry also hit one.

With the win, Josh Garrett’s Cougars improved to 7-1 overall, and 1-0 in Division 6-4A play. McComb, showing new baseball life under first-year head coach Matt White, fell to 4-2 overall, and 0-1 in the division.

“We had a pretty good night,” said Garrett. “Josh Stephens gave us another solid start, though we didn’t defend all that well behind him. We had some big swings, but this wasn’t an easy game. The final score doesn’t do McComb justice. This McComb team came to play, and I know they will at their place Friday.”

Division 6-4A rivals are facing off in a three-game series this season. On Friday, LCHS will travel to McComb’s Rotary Field for a varsity double-header beginning at 4 p.m.

Lawrence County grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. After the first two batters were retired, Cole walked, and Atterberry slammed a 2-2 pitch off the side of the old LCHS gymnasium in right-center.

The Cougars made it 3-0 in the second when Marcus Kees led off with a double and scored on a Gabriel Lewis sacrifice fly. In the third, Lawrence County added four more, as Cole launched a mammoth two-run blast atop the old gym. It was 7-0.

McComb tallied one run in the top of the fourth. Tiger pitcher Jamaih Andrews led off with a double, and his courtesy runner scored on a two-out single by Jimoha Smith. Smith led McComb with two hits. Shortstop Ja’Terrious Wilson also had a hit for the Tigers.

LCHS ended it in the bottom of the fifth, via the 10-run rule, as the Cougars put up four more runs. Cole led off the inning with another homerun, his fourth of the season. Josh Stephens and Gabriel Lewis both had singles in the inning. Marcus Kees eventually scored the game-ending run on a wild pitch.

On the mound, Stephens was as reliable as ever. In five innings, he scattered four hits, walked two and struck out four.

Lawrence County won 7-1 in a five-inning junior varsity scrimmage. Marquez Hudson, Cameron Woods, and Landon Trott had hits for the Cougars. Pitcher Trey Thurman worked four and two-third strong innings. He gave up two hits and struck out four.