MONTICELLO — Offense and defense played an important part inTuesday night’s Division 6-4A baseball battle featuring Brookhavenand Lawrence County. The Panthers got a 1-out, 2-run homer fromScotty Smith in the top of the seventh on offense. In the bottom ofthe inning, Ole Brook stopped the potential game-tying run fromcrossing home plate to escape with an 8-7 win over the CougarsTuesday night at Jimmie Davis Park.

Ole Brook sits atop the division at 8-0, while LCHS stands infourth place.

Smith (4-2), who authored the win, along with his teammates,gave head coach Randy Spring a memorable birthday present on his34th birthday. Smith threw 6 innings, allowing 6 runs on 9 hits. Hewalked 1 and struck out 8 LCHS hitters. Brooks Hall got the save inthe seventh, allowing an unearned run on a single hit.

Lawrence County posted a 5-0 win over Brookhaven in thepreliminary JV game.

In other Division 6-4A action Tuesday, second-place McCombdefeated third-place Terry 8-3. Fifth-place Jim Hill got bysixth-place South Pike 7-1.

Lawrence County and Brookhaven continue division play Friday.The Cougars host McComb while the Panthers meet South Pike at MoyerField.

The Panthers (12-3, 8-0) got the win, despite their meager 3-hitperformance at the plate. Smith’s 2-run blast that also scoredGrant McDonnieal, off a 0-2 pitch, in the seventh proved to be thegame-winner. That shot broke a 6-6 tie and the Cougars trailed8-6.

The Cougars (8-11, 4-4) entered their half of the seventh,needing 2 scores to tie and 3 to win. With 1 out, first basemanCasey Williams reached on an error. Leftfielder Jonathan Stephenssingled. With relief pitcher Joseph Evans at the plate, a wildpitch allowed Williams to score. Evans would later ground out toshort and subsequently be thrown out at first. Stephens roundedthird heading for home plate but Panther first basemen GrantMcDonnieal fired a rocket to catcher Adam Ogden at the plate andStephens was tagged out to end the game.

“This was a big win for us,” said Spring who is in his fifthyear at BHS.

Ole Brook opened the scoring in their half of the third, scoring6 runs and sending 12 batters to the plate. Darius Perkins, XavierQualls, Brooks Hall, Ogden, Josh Patrick and Cody Dunawayscored.

LCHS pitchers walked 4 and hit 3 Panther batters in the inning.The Cougars used 3 different hurlers, starter Klien Harbour, CaseyWilliams and Joseph Evans, before the inning closed.

LCHS responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of thethird. Michael Thompson walked. Rightfielder Marlon Stanfieldsingled. Shortstop Trent Hartzog’s single scored Thompson.Stanfield would later score on an error by the Panthers as theCougars trailed 6-2.

“The kids did not fold, despite being down 4 runs,” added Clark.”They put on a gutsy performance.”

Clark’s ball club used the fifth as their big inning, plating 4runs to gain a 6-6 deadlock. LCHS led off with 4 consecutivesingles from Stanfield, Hartzog, Harbour and Williams. Harbour’ssingle scored Stanfield. Stephens reached on a fielder’s choicethat forced Williams out at second, and allowed Hartzog and Harbourto score. Evans’ single scored Stephens.

Stanfield led the Cougar offensive with a pair of runs scored, 3singles and a double. Hartzog and Harbour respectively singledtwice.

Evans suffered the loss in relief of starter Harbour andWilliams. Evans allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits. He walked 2,hit 2 Ole Brook hitters and fanned 6 batters.

Harbour tossed 2.1 innings and allowed 6 earned runs on a hit.He issued 2 bases on balls, hitting 2 batters and striking out 3Panthers. Williams threw to 3 batters, issuing 2 walks and hittinga batter.

“We hit the ball well tonight,” said Clark, who was referring tohis ballclub’s 10 base hits.