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NATCHEZ — Last Friday afternoon proved to a brutal one for the Natchez High School Bulldogs as they were swept in an MHSAA Region 3-5A varsity doubleheader at Chester Willis Field by the Brookhaven High School Panthers 8-0 in Game 1 and 17-4 in Game 2 that went just six innings.

In the first game, Brookhaven High’s Dreamus Harron Jr. got the start on the mound and he was dealing from the start. Harron Jr. pitched a complete-game one hitter, struck out 14 batters, walked two, and hit three batters.

The Panthers gave Harron Jr. all the run support he needed with four runs in the top of the second inning. However, the visiting team continued to add to its lead with three runs in the top of the fourth inning and one run in the top of the fifth.

Natchez High starting pitcher Jaylin Davis could not send Panthers right fielder and leadoff hitter Drew Nelson back to the dugout in any of Nelson’s five at-bats. Nelson went 3-for-3 with a triple, was walked twice, and scored three runs. Left fielder Braydon Wilson went 2-for-3 with a triple, was also walked twice, had two runs batted in, and scored one run. First baseman Austin Rylee was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored.

David went six and two-third innings and gave up eight runs, six of them earned, on nine hits and eight walks with four strikeouts. Mason Bouldin was the only Natchez High player who had a hit off Harron Jr. and that was a single.

While the Bulldogs were able to get on the scoreboard in the second game, the Panthers’ bats were even hotter than they were in Game 1 as Brookhaven High belted out 16 base hits.

Natchez High led Brookhaven High 3-1 when the first inning was over, but the Panthers rallied for three runs in the top of the second inning to take the lead for good at 4-3, and then added five runs in the top of the third and three more runs in the top of the fourth for a commanding 12-3 lead.

The Bulldogs scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 12-4 game, but the Panthers ended the game early after plating five runs in the top of the sixth.

Mason White went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored while Wilson went 2-for-3 with two triples, was hit by a pitch twice, had two RBIs, and one run scored to lead Brookhaven High at the plate. Trent Owens hit two doubles and went 2-for-4 with one RBIs and three runs scored and Nelson was 2-for-4 with a double, was hit by a pitch once, had three RBIs and one run scored.

Natchez High left fielder Ahmarrion Fletcher provided much of the hitting and offense as he went 2-for-2 with a double and a triple, was walked once, and scored two of the Bulldogs’ four runs. Bouldin was 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Jaylin Neal had one RBI and one run scored despite officially going 0-for-3 at the plate.

Natchez High (11-16, 0-9) plays host to North Pike High School for a make-up Region 3-5A varsity doubleheader at Chester Willis Field on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.