BATESVILLE - After watching Falkner ace Will Robertson eliminate his team in the second round of the Class 1A playoffs last year, Tupelo Christian Prep coach Will Lowrey vowed never to let his club be unprepared for great pitching again.

Thus last offseason, Lowrey put together a brutal schedule for the Eagles that included no non-division games against competition below the 3A level.

Though their overall record may not indicate it, that schedule is beginning to show positive results for TCPS. The 1A Eagles didn't seem intimidated by 6A foe South Panola on Saturday, ruining the Tigers' senior day with a 4-0 win.

"Going back to last year, what we did facing the Robertson kid, and what a tremendous pitcher he was, we hadn't seen that all year," Lowrey said. "The intimidation of our schedule, we did that on purpose."

But the true purpose of Lowrey's actions may not have fully sunk in with the Eagles until a spring break trip to defending 3A champion Sumrall. There, TCPS was down only 2-0 with two outs in the sixth inning before eventually falling 8-0.

"We gave them a good fight and we said, 'We deserve to be on this field,'" said Lowrey. "That's really kinda when it hit home with these guys and the fear kinda left us."

Paying dividends

For junior pitcher Tucker Akin, their win over South Panola and results against their other higher classification opponents proves the Eagles can play with anybody.

"All of our guys think that we can handle anybody in the state," he said. "If we play like we did today I think we can too."

Akin and his teammates were certainly impressive this day. Coming off Tommy John surgery last year, Akin (4-1) led the Eagles on the mound, striking out six and allowing only three hits in his first complete game of the season.

TCPS (10-8) got on the board in the first inning without a hit. Tayler Beard reached on an error at shortstop and then scored when Lee McBunch's bunt attempt was thrown down the right field line by the catcher.

Sacrifice flies in the fourth by Beard and his brother, Tyler, extended the Eagles' lead to 3-0. McBunch scored on a wild pitch in the sixth to round out TCPS's scoring.

Taylor Meek (1-3) took the loss for the Tigers (13-10), who must rebound quickly with Tupelo High coming to town for a division contest Tuesday.