TIFTON — Tiftarea Academy began its region schedule with a win Tuesday, defeating the Brookwood Warriors, 5-2, at Thomasville.

Both squads scored a second inning run, according to Tiftarea’s stats on GameChanger, but the Panthers exploded for two runs in each of their last two innings for the victory.

The big blow of the afternoon was Cain Cooper’s home run, his third of the season. Cooper is 7-for-14 this season with nine runs batted in.

Cooper’s blast came in the sixth inning and scored Carter Stewart, giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead. After Brookwood scored a single run in the bottom of the sixth, Tiftarea came back with two more scores.

In the seventh, Colby Grant’s single brought home Will Matt. Grant later came around on a sacrifice fly by Grant Hall.

Brandon Prudhomme went six innings of four-hit ball for the win on the mound. He struck out nine hitters. Cooper earned the save, fanning two in the bottom of the seventh.

The Panthers got on the scoreboard in the second frame when Cooper trotted home on a Dawson Patterson groundout.

Tiftarea will be back at home this evening for a 6 p.m. rematch with Brookwood. It will be Alumni Appreciation night at Tiftarea. All Tiftarea alumni, plus one guest will be admitted free for the game.