by
Paul Halfacre Sports Editor
News Democrat Leader
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N-D&L Photo/Paul Halfacre
After a thoroughly dominating performance against District 15 champion Glasgow in the opening rounds of the region tournament on Monday, the Panthers were looking forward to knocking another champion out of the tourney. The South Warren Spartans took down Cumberland County in an exciting game in their first round match up.
The Spartans were considered one of the hottest teams in the region and the Panthers were ready to punch their tickets to the region finals with a win.
But the Spartans hot offense flashed in the first inning and continued throughout the game in a 16-4 loss for the Panthers.
The first inning the Panthers were confident that they could knock another champion off but after three pitches and three hard hit balls that confidence began to waver.
The Spartans offense kept right on clicking as they hung six first inning runs before finally Russellville got out of the inning.
The offense that had hammered Glasgow was ready, but the Spartans pitching baffled their bats for the first two innings.
In the third inning the Spartans delivered the knock out blow as they scored nine runs to extend the lead to 15-1. They would tag on another run in the fourth.
The Panther's offense finally got out of their funk in the fifth as they mounted a desperate rally to extend the game, and more importantly the season. They tacked on three more runs but the Spartans closed the door on the season with a 15-4 loss handed to the Panthers.
Look for more in depth coverage in Friday's News-Democrat&Leader.