MONTICELLO – Lawrence County swept a high school baseball doubleheader from Prentiss Saturday afternoon at Jimmie Davis Park. In game one, LCHS exploded for 13 first-inning runs in an 18-2 route of the Bulldogs. Game two was a bit tougher, but the Cougars eventually clawed out a 12-2 win in 5 innings.

With those wins, Lawrence County improved to 3-5 on the season. The doubleheader sweep served as some much-needed medicine for Cory Keyes’ Cougars, who had stumbled to an uncharacteristic 1-5 start.

“We needed a good day,” Keyes said, “and we got one. Hopefully, the success we had today will carry over into the rest of the season. It’s been a trying first couple of weeks, but three-fourths of our season is still ahead of us.”

LCHS 18, Prentiss 1

In the first game, Prentiss struck for 2 runs in the top of the first, on a double by DeRante Hartzog and a 2-run homer by Fredrick McCallum.

Lawrence County wasted no time in striking back, scoring 13 times in the bottom of the inning. LCHS added 3 in the second, and 2 more in the third. The game was halted after 3 innings.

Matt Patterson led Lawrence County with 2 hits. Hunter Stephens, Reid Graves, Patrick Little, Joshua Stephens, Will Jackson, and Cade Turner also had hits for the Cougars.

Patterson started on the mound for the Cougars and, after surrendering those 2 first-inning runs, he completely shut the door on the Bulldogs. Patterson struck out 6 in 3 innings.

LCHS 12, Prentiss 2

Things came a bit tougher for the Cougars in the second game. LCHS scored in each inning, but led just 4-3 after 3 innings. Lawrence County blew the game open with 4 runs in the fourth, then ended the game, via the 10-run rule, with 4 more runs in the fifth.

The game ended on a Rusty Rowells walk-off, 2-run homer.

Rowells led the Cougars with 2 hits. Patterson, Hunter Stephens, T-Tez Cole, and Kody Smith each had 1.

Smith pitched an impressive 4 innings, walking 1 and allowing 1 hit, while striking out 7. Will Jackson pitched the fifth.

Richard Scott and Fredrick McCallum had the only hits for the Bulldogs, who are coached by Jaques Poole.

This week, Lawrence County will host the Southwest Mississippi Spring Break Baseball Classic for the third straight year. A total of 14 schools will play a total of 20 games, Monday through Friday.

“We’re so honored to have all our neighboring teams to come and spend spring break with us,” said long-time LCHS assistant Craig Davis. “We like the fact that they like coming here, and we hope to keep doing this in the future. It makes for a long and exhausting week, but it’s become my favorite week of the year.”