Indians Pop Panthers, Share District Lead
PASCAGOULA–The Biloxi Indians (10-3) used a pair of grand slam home runs to pound the Pascagoula Panthers 10-3 Wednesday night at Ingalls Field in Pascagoula.
The Panthers (9-3) picked up a quick 1-0 lead after using a lead off single by Randy Blythe and a sacrifice fly by Senquez Golson to grab a first inning lead against Biloxi starter Hawtin Buchanan. After the sacrifice fly, Buchanan struck out Taylor Olsen to start a streak of five straight strikeouts by the Biloxi hurler.
The Indian offense came to life in the third inning when Pascagoula starter Matt Cobb issued a leadoff walk to Marcus Lawton. Ben Hurtado picked up a bunt single, and Cody Brown walked to load the bases. Jordan Mata scored Lawton with an RBI single, and Craig Wilson cleared the bases with a grand slam over the leftfield wall.
The Indians added four more runs in the top of the fifth, when Derek Whitfield sent a second Indian grandslam over the fence in leftfield to give Biloxi a 9-1 lead.
The Indians added one more run in the sixth to push the lead to 10-1.
The Panthers scored two in the sixth with a two run homer by Chase Nyman to cut the lead to 10-3, but they would get no closer.
Jordan Skog pitched the seventh in relief for the Indians to seal the victory.
Biloxi starter Buchanan went six innings, giving up three runs on three hits while striking out 12 to pick up the victory. Matt Cobb suffered his first loss of the season, going 4 1/3 innings, giving up six hits and nine runs.
Mata had two singles for the Indians, and Blythe had two singles for the Panthers.
The two teams are now tied atop of District 7-6A, and they meet again Friday in Biloxi at 7.
