Jonathan Strong overcame a shaky start and pitched theBrookhaven Academy Cougars to an 8-2 Friday night victory over theSilliman (La.) Institute Tigers in a District 4-AA showdown. Strongstruck out 7 batters, walked 5 and allowed 7 hits as the Cougarsavenged an opening game, 15-11 loss to the visiting Tigers.

Brookhaven raised its record to 10-7 overall and 6-3 in thedistrict race. Silliman (14-3, 10-1), the defending Class AAA statechampion, maintained its lead in the district.

Strong, a 6-foot-4, junior right-hander, worked his way out of abases-loaded jam in the second inning and kept the Tigers guessingwith an effective curveball. After giving up 1 run on 2 hits in thefourth, he held the Tigers hitless the next 2 innings.

“I had a little trouble at first but it came to me,” saidStrong. “My curveball was working pretty good. We were proud tobeat them.”

Silliman, ranked fourth in the MPSA, had defeated the Cougars8-3 Tuesday at Clinton, La. “They beat us at their place so wewanted to beat them here,” said Strong.

BA coach Ron Rushing said he was pleased with Strong’sperformance. “Strong threw great. We made the plays behind him,too.”

Rushing had watched with dismay as the Cougars committed 5errors in the opener, blowing an 8-5 lead.

“It would have been nice to win two,” said Rushing. “We gave upeight unearned runs in the first game. We didn’t make theplays.”

Brookhaven 8, Silliman 2

In the second game, Rushing’s Cougars exploded for 7first-inning runs, causing Silliman pitcher Will Bunch to make anearly exit. He was replaced by Brandon LeBlanc with 1 out in thefirst and the Cougars leading 3-0.

With the bases loaded in the first, Ben Sandifer slapped an RBIsingle to left for a 1-0 lead. An overthrow at second base allowedthe third run home. Eric Terry singled past the pitcher for thefourth run and Johnathan Winborne singled home the fifth run. ColeHodges followed with an RBI single. Ryan Nix, the 10th batter ofthe inning, sliced a single to left and it was 7-0.

Catcher Boo Burchfield would provide Brookhaven’s 8th run in thefourth, a solo shot over the left field fence, making it 8-1.

The Cougars got 2 singles from Terry, the designated hitter.Silliman got 2 singles from shortstop Will Peay. Will Griffin andJohn Beauchamp doubled for Silliman.

Silliman 15, Brookhaven 11

Moreton, working at shortstop, hit a 2-run homer for Brookhavenin the opener. He finished with 4 hits and Ryan Nix had 3,including 2 doubles.

Chad Fontenot was the winning pitcher in relief. Sandifer, 1 of4 pitchers used by Rushing, absorbed the loss. Posey started andwas replaced by Sandifer in the fourth.

The Cougars invade Columbia Academy Tuesday for a district test.They host Columbia for a doubleheader on Friday.