By Brad Greer

In what has become all to common for the South Panola baseball team, reared its ugly head yet again,  as the lack of productivity with runners in scoring position cost the Tigers their third game in a row Saturday with a 6-3 loss to Olive Branch.

South Panola left 10 runners on base including the sacks full in the fourth and seventh innings. Over the last three games, the Tigers have stranded a staggering 29 runners on base.

Olive Branch (5-7) took advantage of a huge Tiger error to score three runs on one hit that broke open a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning.

South Panola rallied in bottom of the seventh as Chance Whitten singled with one out. Taylor Meek was then hit by a pitch. After Bobby Epps flied out, Andrew Horne reached on an error to load the bases. Olive Branch reliever Taylor Bobo then got Will Dickins to hit a lazy flyball into left that ended the game.

The Conquistadors took a 2-0 lead in the first off Tiger starting pitcher Horne as Austin Irby ripped a double. Andrew Dowdy followed with a RBI single. John Pittman’s groundout scored Dowdy with the second run of the game.

After Olive Branch increased its lead to 3-1, the Tigers got on the board in the fourth without a hit as Adam Cook drew a bases loaded walk to force in Hays Hudson. South Panola tied the game with a pair of runs in the fifth as Chance Whitten blasted a one-out triple then scored on a squeeze bunt by Epps. Horne followed with another triple to chase home courtesy runner Hudson.

South Panola registered seven hits in the game as Whitten and Cook led the Tigers with two hits. Dashawn Lindsay contributed with a single. Meek (2-2) took the loss on the mound after going 4.1 innings in relief.

The Tigers picked up a forfeit victory over West Tallahatchie Monday and will visit division-leading Grenada today at 4 & 6 p.m. The Chargers will make a return trip to South Panola Thursday.