VICKSBURG – The Lawrence County Cougars hammered the WarrenCentral Vikings 11-2 in high school baseball action Saturdayafternoon at Viking Field. Lawrence County’s bats exploded for awhopping hits, as 5 Cougars starters tallied a total of 15hits.

LCHS shortstop Trent Hartzog led the hit parade, going 5-for-5.Brandon Middlebrook and Zachary Summers each had 3 hits. JosephEvans and Mackenzie Woods each got 2.

Meanwhile, senior right-hander Corey Jones was giving theCougars 6 strong innings of pitching. He ran his record to 2-1,allowing 7 hits, walking 2, and striking out 5. Nathan Case pitcheda hitless seventh inning.

“We had a good day,” said third-year Lawrence County coach CoryKeyes. “I was a little worried about a 12 noon game, 70 miles fromhome, after a tough division game, and with the distraction of thehigh school prom hanging over our kids. I thought they handled allthat well.

“That’s a credit to our players, particularly our seniors,”Keyes said. “In the 3 years I’ve been here, whether we’ve played agreat game or a poor game, whether we’ve won or lost, effort hasnever been an issue. These guys come to play every day, and Iappreciate that.”

Keyes’ Cougars scored 3 in the first, and 5 in the second, tograb an early lead. Later, the Cougars tacked on a single run inthe fourth, and 2 in the seventh, to seal the win.

Joseph Evans led off the game with a booming double to left.Hartzog, Woods, and Middlebrook added singles in the frame, as LCHSgrabbed a quick 3-0 lead. Warren Central’s Sean Elliott led off thebottom of the inning with a double, however, and the Vikings cutthe lead to 3-1.

In the second, Evans ripped his second double of the game, andSummers, Hartzog, and Middlebrook followed with singles. Two Vikingerrors helped it all add up to a 5-run inning, and Lawrence Countyenjoyed an 8-1 lead.

It remained 8-1 until the bottom of the third, when WarrenCentral first baseman Jonathan Longmire got 1 of his 3 hits,driving in the Vikings’ second run of the game, making it 8-2.

In the fourth, Cougar first baseman Nick Jackson hit a leadoffhomer, making it a 9-1 game. Summers, Hartzog, and Woods puttogether singles in the seventh as the Cougars tallied their final2 runs.

Lawrence County’s 17 hits came against 4 Viking pitchers. TheCougars struck out just 4 times in the game, a remarkable statconsidering that Saturday’s hitters had to deal with an incrediblyliberal strike zone.

“I’m not sure what was going on there,” said long-time LCHSassistant Craig Davis. “There wasn’t any point in waiting aroundfor a walk, because that wasn’t going to happen. It was, beyond alldoubt, the greatest exhibition of strike calling I’ve ever seen inmy baseball life.

“Considering that, our guys did a great job of putting the baton the ball,” Davis noted. “If they were down in the count, theysimply had to swing, regardless of where the pitch was thrown.”

Lawrence County returns to Division 6-4A action tonight, hostingMendenhall. Wesson will visit Jimmie Davis Park on Tuesday.