CHULA — Tiftarea Academy’s Panthers found the perfect momentum as they prepare for their District 3-3A schedule next week. TA picked up its second win of the year Thursday in holding off Westfield, 9-8.

Tiftarea bumped up its game time because of the threat of bad weather. The predicted storms never came, but the Panthers thundered plenty at the plate, with 13 hits, including four doubles and a triple.

It was close throughout. The Panthers went up 2-0 in the second. Westfield tied it in the third, then briefly went up 4-3. Five runs in the fourth put TA up for good, but Jacob Joyner had to fend off a rally in the seventh before securing the save. Westfield had runners on first and second with two outs.

Doubles by Dawson Butler and Jackson Gray scored John Jackson and Butler in the second for the afternoon’s first two runs. Butler doubled in Jackson Parrish in the third.

With the Hornets up 4-3 in the fourth, the Panthers got to work, scoring five courtesy of RBI hits by Parrish, Robert Garner and Jackson. The latter was a two-run triple.

Garner drove in Winston Lamb for a very important insurance run in the fifth, making the score 9-5.

On fire since his return, Garner drove in three on two hits Thursday. Gray had three hits. Butler doubled twice and joined Jackson in driving in two runs.

Four Tiftarea pitchers combined for the win.

District opens Tuesday at home against Valwood. A return game will be at Valwood Friday. Before those games, however, the Panthers will be at Stratford Academy on Monday.

Through non-region, Robert Garner is leading with a .455 average. William Garner, Gray, Jackson and Lamb are all hitting over .300.