Angelina tops Panola in XIV doubleheader
The Panola Watchman
3/25/08

LUFKIN - Starting pitchers Jason Gurka and Corey Benevides challenged Panola's offense here Saturday and found it wanting as the Roadrunners swept an East Division XIV twin bill, 3-0 and 9-8.
Angelina used consecutive singles by Keith Prestridge, Tim Emmons and Chris Andreas to rally for three runs in the first and that's all Gurka needed. Andreas drove in two and scored on a Panola error.
Southpaw freshman Matt Holland would pitch superbly after the opening stanza, facing 20 batters and retiring 18. He went the distance with a seven-hitter, allowing just one walk while fanning three.
Gurka, however, haltered the Ponies. From the third to the seventh inning he faced 17 and got 15 outs. He would give up just three hits - two in the first and one in the third - and struck out nine. Panola had two walks, but at one point Gurka sent 13 straight batters to the dugout to completely control his own fate.
Jarod Myrick and Mason Densen got Panola off to a fine start, but a double play killed the rally in the first.
Rocky Calhoun singled in the third, reached third and was stranded in the other Panola threat.
In the nightcap, Travis Reagan started and was shelled for nine hits, two walks and five run. Only three were earned, but he took the loss.
Angelina (13-12, 3-5) worked Benevides for seven of the nine innings of the finale and he responded with a two-hitter as the Roadrunners forged a 9-4 lead to make Benevides the winner.
It wilted quickly in the eighth when Cody Rogers was hit by a pitch, Reagan doubled and Shane Fry walked to load the bases. Reliever Tanner Hamilton hit Kofi Osei-Anning's hot spot and batting in the No. 9 spot he went yard, grand slam before the fire was extinguished.
A three-run homer by Matt Thielepape, and two RBIs by Ryan Kelly provided most of Angelina's offense.
Panola led 2-0 in the first on a walk to Myrick, a run-scoring double by Mason Denson and a run-scoring single by Rogers.
Rogers doubled and scored on an error in the fourth to break a 2-2 tie and Osei-Anning walked and scored on a double by Myrick in the seventh after AC had forged ahead, 9-3.
Panola (21-12, 3-5) isn't ready to raise a white flag yet, but needs to begin sweeping some series, and quickly, if it is to get back in the thick of the conference chase.     
The Ponies host Texarkana March 26 in their next games, a twin bill that begins at 3 p.m.