THROUGH TO PENN IN THE REGION FINAL. LAST YEAR'S 3A BASEBALL STATE CHAMP THE AMORY PANTHERS DEFENDED ITS TITLE THIS WEEK. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF VISITING AMORY EARLY IN ITS 2023 PLAYOFF RUN WHILE THE TEAM CONTINUED TO PERFORM AFTER THE MARCH 24TH TORNADO TORE THROUGH THE COMMUNITY. ((NO SUPER)) <EVERYTHING IT WAS GONE. SOME MORE RAIN AND STUFF WAS RUINED. > <EVERYTHING WAS SUCKING US BACK DOWN THE HALLWAY I THOUGHT THE WHOLE HOUSE WAS GONNA COLLAPSE ON TOP OF US. THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND WAS THAT I LOVE MY FAMILY AND I'M GLAD MY MOM AND MY SISTER WEREN'T HERE.> THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE AMORY BASEBALL TEAM WAS DEALING WITH. DESTROYED HOMES... A DESTROYED FIELD... AND A TOWN... NEEDING A SPARK. THEY HAD AN AMORY BASEBALL TEAM WHO DELIVERED DESPITE PLAYING EVERY GAME ON THE ROAD. <THESE GUYS HAD ENOUGH PRESSURE BEFORE THIS AND THIS IS ADDED TO THEIR PLATE BUT THEY'VE HANDLED IT WELL AND WE'RE BLESSED WITH SOME OLDER GUYS SOME GREAT LEADERS WE'VE GOT SOME BROTHERS ON THIS TEAM.> AND A COUPLE OF THOSE BROTHERS COME FROM THE MARANTO FAMILY... WALKER... WITH TWO HITS IN THE CLINCHING GAME... AND BRADEN... WINNING THE MVP IN THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES. THEIR DAD DERRICK MARANTO HAD SOME PRETTY GOOD FORSHADOWING. HE SAID BACK IN EARLY MAY HIS BOYS.. AND THE TEAM... COULD THRIVE WHEREVER THEY PLAYED. <YOU GIVE THESE GUYS A BAT AND A BALL AND A GLOVE IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU PLAY THEY'VE BEEN PLAYING IT IN THE FRONT YARD OUT IN THE FIELD EVERYWHERE BUT HEY THEY STILL HAVE THEIR GLOVE THEY STILL HAVE THEIR BAT THEY STILL HAVE THEY'RE BALL AND THEY'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KEEP PLAYING.> AND AMORY HAD A BAT.. AND A GLOVE.. AND A BALL AT TRUSTMARK PARK