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Claflin avenged a season-opening loss to Brewton Parker by handing the Barons a 5-2 loss Tuesday.

Eric Jordan, who was hit by a pitch in his first at-bat in the bottom of the first inning, scored the first run of the game for the Panthers on a sacrifice fly by Wesley Platts. Brandon Moody followed that with a RBI single to bring in Rafael Outler making it a 2-0 game.

After reaching on a fielder's choice in the third, Outler crossed the plate on a double by Reggie Taylor giving Claflin a 3-0 lead.

"It seems like the better the pitching is, the better Reggie hits," Claflin head coach James Randall said. "He's really done a good job. He's had a great season and today was just icing on the cake for him."

Taylor was 3-for-5 against the Barons including a run scored and a RBI.

With three runs on the board, Andy Till had all the support he needed. The former Bowman Academy Bulldog recorded four strikeouts and a walk in five innings.

"Andy did a great job," Randall said. "He got us started. He got out there, gave us five quality innings, and kept (the Barons) off balance. That's one kid that has really improved for us this season. He's done a great job."

After allowing Brewton Parker's first run of the game, the Panthers (21-16) responded with a RBI single by Trivon Howard to take a 4-1 advantage.

The Barons scored again in the seventh, but Claflin's pitching combination of Shannon Ransom and Ernest Sinkfield ensured that Brewton Parker got no closer. The Panthers tacked on their final run in the eighth thanks to a sacrifice fly by Outler scoring Norman O'Neal.

The Panthers extend their winning streak to three heading into their 2 p.m. Saturday doubleheader with Benedict at Polo Field.

"This win was big for us," Randall said. "We needed to win against a quality ball club and we got that. To get a win against a ball club of this caliber was great for our program."

-- T&D Sports Writer Emery Glover can be reached by e-mail at eglover@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5532. Check out his blog, Cover 2, at www.thetandd.com. --

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