The Wildcats were hungry for a win after their uncharacteristic 10-0 loss to the Vardaman Rams. They would have to look no further than the untested North Panola Cougars. Independence would face the Cougars in back to back games starting with an away game on March 24, before finishing up with a home game against the Cougars on the 25th at Wildcat field.
In game one of the series the visiting Wildcats had catcher Bryson Davis start the game as the leadoff hitter. Bryson went 2 for 3 on the night starting with a trip to first to begin the game. Hayes Freeman moved Davis to second, bringing Jayden Watkins to the plate with 2 on and no outs, Watkins’ hit pushed Davis and Freeman across the plate and the Wildcats finished their half of the inning leading 2-0. Watkins took the mound for the Wildcats and never came off, going 5 innings in which he walked 1 and struck out 13 .
The Cougars were unable to record a single hit with a lone Cougar reaching first on a walk. Independence on the other hand hit the ball hard and often. The Cats added 5 runs in the top of the 2nd inning of play to increase their lead to 7-0. The lead over the Cougars increased in the third by 3 with Watkins continuing to hold North Panola hitless. The HIS bats cooled down momentarily in the 4th when North Panola made a pitching change bringing in Darius Bramlett. Bramlett, a junior right handed pitcher held the Wildcats scoreless for the first time and the Cougars were unable to capitalize on this brief hitting drought and the 5thinning saw the Wildcats explode at the plate adding 5 runs to their already generous lead. The Cougars came to the plate needing to score 6 runs to keep the game in play. Watkins and the Wildcat defense had other plans however and the Cougar bats remained silent, effectively ending the game and giving the Wildcats a 15-0 distrct win.
Hayes Freeman led the Wildcats at the plate with 4 hits in 4 at bats that included a double and a triple that resulted in 2 RBIs. Jayden Watkins had 4 hits, including a double and a triple that resulted in 5 RBIs .Bryson Davis, Von PeguesMiller Owens, and Braylon Davis each contributed 2 hits in the district victory.
The Wildcats are now 8-8 overall and 1-0 in district play heading into the final game of the two game series with North Panola.
Landyn Lindsey took the mound for Independence and for the second straight game the Wildcat pitcher threw a complete game .Lindsey struck out 8 Cougar batters while walking 2 in 4 innings.
Offensively, the Wildcats continued to be a percentage hitting team with 7 players recording at least one hit or more in the 12-0 win. Braylon Davis was the lone Wildcat with 2 hits. His brother Bryson Davis had a double as did Jayden Watkins. Hayes Freeman, Miller Owens, Dallas Stepp, and Brigham Pierce rounded out the Wildcat hitting with each hitting a single in the ball game.
The 12-0 victory over the Cougars was the second straight district win for Coach Edwards squad. The Wildcats are now 9-8 overall and 2-0 in district play as they head towards Tuesday’s home game versus Holly Springs. The Hawks are 0-1 overall, 0-1 in district play.
