The Brookhaven Academy Cougars welcomed the Ben’s Ford Eagles from Bogalusa, LA to the friendly confines of Harold Williams Ballpark Monday evening and battled the visitors to a 1 – 1 tie going into the bottom of the fourth inning before the Cougars tacked on three runs and another five runs in the fifth on their way to an eventual 9-3 victory.

Junior right-hander Bryce White pitched six solid innings giving up five hits and striking out seven to pick up the win for the Cougars. Senior Alex Smith finished the seventh striking out the side to close the book on the Eagles.

BA head coach Casey Edwards commented on his pitching performances, “Bryce (White) didn’t have his best stuff tonight but he battled all night and that is all we can ever ask our pitchers to do.” “Alex (Smith) did a great job closing it down in the seventh.” Daniel Pitman took the loss on the mound for the Eagles recording one strikeout in his evening of work.

Smith led the Cougars nine-hit attack with a double and two singles. John Coleman hit safely twice on his way to a three RBI night. White, Heath Hickman, Carter Culbertson, Connor Dorman added a hit each to the BA total.

“I was very pleased with our approach at the plate tonight,” commented Edwards. “We hit a bunch of balls hard and they started finding holes in the later innings.”

The win was career victory number 100 for head coach Casey Edwards at the helm of the BA Cougar Baseball program. BA gets right back to work Tuesday evening as the Central Hinds Cougars travel south for game one of their district series match-up. Junior Varsity first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Harold Williams Ballpark.

In junior varsity action, the Ben’s Ford Eagles slipped past the BA 3 – 2 in a time limit suppressed game called as the Cougars were coming to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Chase Freeman had two hits to pace the BA seven hit attack. Jaden Clark, Madison Smith, Dylan Burt, Carter Culbertson and Colton Watson each hit safely for the Cougars.

Fisher Warren absorbed the setback allowing three hits and striking eight during his outing on the mound for BA.