MAGNOLIA – Lawrence County hammered overmatched South Pike 17-0 in four innings in Division 6-4A high school baseball action Tuesday night.

LCHS junior Marcus Atterberry threw a two-hit shutout and struck out eight. At the plate, Atterberry went 3-for-3, with a double and a homerun, and drove in five runs.

“Atterberry had a heckuva night,” said second-year Cougar coach Josh Garrett. “He’s swinging it really well right now, and he threw four very good innings.”

With the win, Garrett’s Cougars improved to 10-1 on the season, and 4-0 in Division 6-4A play.

On Tuesday, the Cougars exploded for 11 runs on seven hits in the top of the first, and the outcome of the game was never in doubt after that.

Atterberry had an RBI double and a two-run homer in the inning. Kasey Durr, Brandon Bullock, Gabriel Lewis, and Seth Bass all had RBI singles in the frame. T-Tez Cole had a single and a sacrifice fly. In the second, Lewis walked, stole second, and scored on a Rishad Haynes single. A three-run third benefited from three bases on balls. Bullock had another single. In the fourth, after the first two batters were retired, Trey Thurman, Prentiss Anderson and Atterberry had consecutive singles as LCHS piled on two final runs.

While the Cougars were pouring it on offensively, Atterberry was breezing through the South Pike lineup. In four innings, Atterberry faced just 15 batters. He walked one and gave up just fourth-inning singles. Atterberry struck out eight.

Keshun Nimox and Joseph Klunk had the only hits for South Pike, coached by J.T. Thomas. Leonard did the pitching for the Eagles.

Lawrence County also won big in junior varsity play, winning 14-0. Gage Daley had two doubles, and Walt Lowe also had two hits. John Clyde Ready, Roy Martin, Bryce Bullock, and Jadarius Grandberry also had hits. Ready, Landon Trott, and Gage Daley pieced together the 4-inning game. They combined to strike out six and allowed just one hit.