Heading into the week, the worst case scenario for the Lafayette was a split with Region 2-4A foe Senatobia. After falling to the Warriors 12-10 on the road last Tuesday, the Commodores knew they had to get a win at home. That is exactly what they did with a 4-2 win over Senatobia on Friday at William L. Buford Field.

The victory improved the Commodores’ region record to 6-2, heading into a pair of key games against Ripley (8-0 2-4A) next week.

Lafayette (10-11-1) got a huge boost from starter Colin Crawford. It was an efficient outing by the right-hander, who pitched a complete game and needed only 65 pitches to get through seven innings. Crawford gave up two runs on four hits while walking two Senatobia batters and also had a stretch of retiring 15 of 17 batters.

“When we brought him in (Senatobia) was all over his curveball so we changed it up,” Lafayette head coach Greg Lewis said. “We went fastball a little bit more and it ended up to where they weren’t getting their hands on it. Just efficient, throwing strikes and our guys made plays.

Crawford was big on the mound, but did not record a single strikeout, meaning all 21 outs were recorded by the defense playing behind him. The Commodores played error-free baseball as well.

The night looked as though it would be a shaky one for Crawford from the start, giving up two of his four hits in the first frame. Senatobia (7-11, 3-5) took the early 1-0 lead off an RBI-fielder’s choice from centerfielder Talvyn Dean. Crawford shut down the Warrior offense until Dean scored their only other run of the night off an RBI-double from designated hitter Tre Burdette in the seventh inning.

All of Lafayette’s runs came in the third inning where the Commodores took advantage of two walks by Senatobia starter Jake Carr as well as three hits of their own. Designated hitter Will Ard had a two-RBI single during the inning, scoring shortstop John Tate Roberts and third baseman Luke Gossett. Right fielder Zach Meagrow and center fielder Xavier Martin scored the other two runs.

“I just wanted to get through the first, second and third (innings) without giving up a pile of runs, because that’s what’s been happening to us all year,” Lewis said. “I was little disappointed with our hitting after we put up the four-spot. I thought we should have done a better job at the plate and just took some hacks out there instead of getting good swings.”

The Commodores host Ripley on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before traveling to Ripley on Thursday