WESSON — On a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, Brookhaven andWesson opened their 2004 baseball seasons, at Cobra Field. The gamewent extra innings as the Panthers scored 3 runs in the top of theninth inning and held on for a 5-2 win over the Cobras.

Brookhaven posted a 7-4 win over Wesson in the morning’spreliminary JV game.

Wesson’s game at West Lincoln Tuesday, has been postponed duethe West Lincoln boys basketball team’s participation in the SouthState 1A playoffs at Scott Central. Brookhaven is in the NatchezCathedral Tournament Thursday, playing Vidalia, La. at 4:30 p.m.and Natchez at 6:30.

Brookhaven 5, Wesson 2

The Panthers (1-0) started the game off on a good note in theirhalf of the first. Shortstop Brooks Hall doubled. Two batterslater, Grant McDonnieal’s singled scored Hall to give Ole Brook anearly 1-0 lead.

Panther head coach Randy Spring saw his squad increase theirlead to 2-0 in the fourth. McDonnieal reached first as he was hitby a pitch. Two batters later, Josh Patrick and Cody Dunaway eachdrew bases on balls to load the bases. Two batters later, W. T.King walked to score McDonnieal.

Wesson (0-1), coached by first-year coach Hugh Knight, cut theirdeficit to 2-1 in the sixth. Senior Nick Gunter, on a 1-2 pitch,homered over the leftfield fence.

The Cobras tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the seventh.Bryan Channell singled and advanced to third on a pair of fieldingerrors by the Panthers. Second basemen Brandon Hood’s double scoredChannell.

“I thought that we played well,” said Knight. “We just did notget the hits when we needed them.”

Spring’s club pulled out the win in the top of the ninth. XavierQualls and Hall drew walks. Two batters later, McDonnieal doubledto score Qualls and Hall. Josh Patrick singled to scoreMcDonnieal.

McDonnieal led the Panther offensive with a single, a double and3 RBIs.

“It was good to get that first win,” said Spring. “We could notget the hits that we needed until the ninth. Wesson played well,”added Spring.

Hall (1-0) authored the win for the Panthers in relief ofstarter Scotty Smith. He tossed 5 innings, allowing 2 earned runson 5 hits, issuing 1 base-on-balls and striking out 5. Smith threw4 innings, allowing no runs on 3 hits, striking out 4.

Gunter (0-1) suffered the loss for the Cobras in relief ofstarter Joseph Langham. Gunter threw 5.1 innings, allowing 3 earnedruns on 4 hits. He walked 3 and struck out 4 Brookhaven batters.Langham allowed 2 earned runs on 3 hits, issuing 4 walks and fanned4 Panther hitters.

Wesson was led by Channell with a pair of singles. Langhamdoubled twice. Gunter singled and homered.

In the JV game, Brookhaven’s Zach Watson pickedup the win in relief of starter Brandt Hinton. Josh Coone pitchedthe final 2 innings.

Scoring for the Panthers were Darius Perkins, Guy Orr, Watson,Mitch Pappas, R. J. Jenkins, Garion Crockett and Elliot Warren.Collecting hit were Perkins with a triple and a double. Watsonsingled. Marlon Dixon tripled.

Brett Selman suffered the loss for Wesson, as Mason Douglas cameon in relief. Chance Peets and Mason Warren each scored a pair ofruns. Collecting hits for the Cobras were Wade Williams with adouble and Zach Cawthorn with a single.