By Will Dickins
Panola Paper, Dash For Cash, and NAPA advanced in JP Hudson’s Dogtag tournament Tuesday night. 

Each batter got three pitches from a pitching machine throwing 40 mph.  There were no walks, a runner could not steal home, only six runs could be scored in a half inning, and there was an hour limit if the teams did not make it through six innings.

Panola Paper beat Dr. Haire’s by the score of 7-2 to start. 

Dr. Haire’s hung around until Panola Paper blew it open in the fifth and last inning. They scored three runs to cement the outcome of the game.

Baylor Pierce led with a double and was followed by a single from Will Jenkins and double off the bat of Jayden Dishman.  Nicky Byrd then drove in Dishman with a single to right field.  
Pierce, Jenkins, Dishman, and Byrd each had multiple hits in the game.  Panola Paper plays Café Ole in the next round.

Dash for Cash dashed out to a 10-4 win over Boren and Hawkins in the next game.  The score was only 4-2 in favor of Dash for Cash heading into the bottom of the third inning.  Dash for Cash then scored six runs to blow the game open. 

Grayson Alford had a three hit game and started the third off with a single and reached third base. Ford Thomas brought him in with an RBI up the middle. Gage Bryant also reached before Holt Herron brought both of them in with a towering shot to left field. 

Devin Washington and Braden Whitt also joined the fun with one RBI each.  The scoring burst ended when Kenneth Helms hit a triple to bring in three more but only got one home due to the run limit for each inning. This helped Dash for Cash make it to the next round where they will play NAPA. 

NAPA survived against a late rally from First Security Bank to win 4-3 in six innings.  NAPA built their lead first from Xander Edwards doubling then being brought in by a single from Xavier McFadden two batters later in the second inning. 

They would get three more runs in the third.  Austin Alexander hit a two out single, which was followed by singles from Caleb Karsten and Xavier Edwards.

Malakai Strowbridge took advantage of the runners on base with a two RBI triple.  The score was now 4-0.  After a few defensive sided innings, First Security put together a come back effort in the sixth inning. 

Cayden Wardlaw and Gabriel Cole hit singles.  Jenario Humphrey hit a triple and made it into a three run swing when he scored on an errant throw from the outfield.
 
First Security came up just short in their come back as they could not earn one more run and lost 4-3.  NAPA will now face Dash for Cash in the next round.