By Ashley Crutcher
The South Panola Lady Tigers realized another of their goals as they claimed the 2-6A District Championship with a 7-1 win over Hernando Tuesday night.
Hernando had lost to Tupelo 1-0 Monday so the Lady Tigers (19-3 overall, 6-0 district) just had to stay ahead on the scoreboard.
The No. 4 state ranked South Panola traveled to Hernando Tuesday afternoon where the Lady Tigers swept Hernando with a junior varsity win 9-5.
The Lady Tigers earned a bye in the playoffs and will play the winner of Thursday’s Desoto Central/Starkville game. The game will be played on the road Tuesday at 7 p.m.
Thursday, March 28, the Lady Tigers will host the second and third if  necessary games, at a time to be determined.
SP 7, Hernando 1
In top of the first, Lady Tiger Chloe Morgan reached first on an error followed by two walks by Mallory Myers and Caroline Dickins to load the bases. Haley Reid was hit by a pitch and limped to first, driving Chloe Morgan home for the 1-0 lead.
Heavy hitters allowed the Lady Tigers to score three more runs in the second inning. Rebekah Garner doubled to left followed by a slap bunt by Amber Helmes. Chloe Morgan’s double drove Garner and Helmes home. Myers’ tripled to left center sent Chloe Morgan across the plate.
In the fourth, Chloe Morgan scored on a bunt by Alli Cummins, who beat the throw to first for the only score.
Hernando avoided the shutout with a run in bottom of the fifth on a double RBI (run batted in) by Vivian Stringfield to drive home Vic Jones who had singled to get on base.
The last two runs by South Panola came in top of the sixth, as Dickins and Cummins, scored on a passed ball to home.
Myers led at the plate going 3-for-4 with a triple and one RBI.
Other hitters include Chloe Morgan, 2-for-4, with a double, two RBIs, three runs. Getting one hit each were Dickins, Garner, a double and Sydney Morgan. Reid had three RBIs.
Dickins pitched the complete game in seven innings,  striking out six of 26 batters faced. She allowed three hits, one walk and one unearned run.
SPJV 9, Hernando 5
The Lady Tigers junior varsity team scored four runs in the first inning.
Darbi Smith and Maci Kirkland scored on a two RBI single by Taylor Utz. Smith walked to get on base and Kirkland singled.
Utz scored on a  walk by Tyler Hamby who had walked after a Haven Dulin single and Kahlena Hentz hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Kaitlyn Tidwell drove in Dulin for the last run of the inning with a single to third.
In top of the second, Nautica Edwards and Smith walked. Kirkland loaded the bases as Hernando second baseman dropped the pop fly. A walk by Utz drove Edwards home.
With bases loaded, Dulin doubles to left driving in Smith and Kirkland. Utz and Dulin scored on a single by Hentz.
Hernando came back in the bottom of the second scoring five runs. Three singles and a double by Hernando gave them two runs. With two runners on base, Edwards rushed to catch a the ball and it hit the top of her club and bounced over the fence for a three-run homerun.