Panthers Avenge Loss to Indians, Win on Senior Night
PASCAGOULA—The Pascagoula Panthers solved the riddle of the Biloxi Indians to pick up a 12-6 victory over Biloxi Friday at Ingalls Field.
The Indians raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first. Cody Brown led off the game with a solo shot to left field, and after Craig Wilson walked, Hawtin Buchanan hit a two run homer.
The Panthers answered with three of their own in the bottom of the first. Randy Blythe reached second on an error, and Senquez Golson was hit by a pitch to put runners on base for Pascagoula. Chase Nyman doubled in Blythe, and Joshua Melendez drove in Golson to make the score 3-2. Nyman later scored on a balk to tie the game.
The Panthers broke the game open in the third when Nyman singled and scored on a two-run homer by Will Tomes. Golson added to the damage with a grand slam later in the inning to make the score 10-3.
In the fourth, Nick Wheelock scored on a passed ball for the Indians, and in the fifth, Derek Whitfield and Marcus Lawton scored on Brown’s single.
Biloxi starter, Jordan Mata, was chased after a second homer by Tomes in the third. Tomes also scored the game’s final run in the sixth inning.
Pascagoula head coach Richie Tillman liked the way his team played Friday.
“We were not pleased Tuesday night,” said Tillman. “Hawtin Buchanan is a great pitcher, and I was not pleased with our concentration and our focus. We needed to come out and play tough. We swung the bats better than we have against Biloxi.”
Mata (4-2) took the loss for the Indians. Golson (5-2) struck out five in the victory for the Panthers.
Tillman felt the win was big for his team. “I’ll be honest, we haven’t done very well against Biloxi, so this win is very important for us,” said Tillman. “Biloxi is one of the top teams in the state. It’s all about building momentum going into the playoffs.”
