Southern
Sports & Travel
Marshall
centerfielder Von Watson crushed a two-run, sixth inning homer to break a 4-4
tie as the fourth ranked Patriots edged third ranked Central Hinds in Raymond
last night to take a 1-0 North AA State Championship series lead.
Senior
southpaw Aaron McAlexander went the distance on the mound for Marshall
collecting five strikeouts and scattering just four hits on the evening.
Marshall
put up two runs in their half of the second inning.
Chance
Lyken’s one-out single enabled Matt Rappa to advance to third base after Rappa
had reached base on a fielder’s choice and Devin McGregor would bring Rappa
home with a two-out single to left field.
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| Marshall sophomore Von Watson smashed a 2 run homer in the 6th inning |
Marshall
would score again in the inning as Central Hinds committed a costly fielding
error on a Josh Mask grounder which allowed Lyken to score and increase the
lead to 2-0.
Marshall
doubled their lead in the third inning as Aaron McAlexander produced a lead-off
single and Vince Hoyt drilled a full count double into left field scoring
McAlexander.
Von
Watson reached base on a second fielding error by Central Hinds which also
allowed Hoyt to advance to third base.
Chance
Lykens brought Hoyt home with an infield hit to give the defending Class AA
North Champions a 4-0 advantage midway through the third inning.
Central
Hinds showed life in the bottom of the inning.
Lead-off
hitter Alex Biggs reached on a Marshall error but would be the first out of the
inning as Bruce Agee hit into a fielder’s choice.
With
two outs Peyton Banes popped a 2-0 double into centerfield to score Agee and
the Cougars quickly cut the Marshall lead in half as Blake Bishop followed with
a double to score Banes from second base to pull Central Hinds back to within
two runs at 4-2 with four full innings to play.
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| Aaron McAlexander went the distance for Marshall allowing just 4 hits |
Central
Hinds would tie the contest in their half of the fourth inning as Marshall
committed a costly error of their own.
Lead-off
man Ty Mohler reached base on an errant throw and advanced to third base when
Keller Bradford smacked a full count double to centerfield.
Tanner
Leggett brought Mohler home with a perfectly laid sacrifice bunt and the
Cougars would knot the game at 4-4 on an Alex Biggs grounder that forced a play
at the plate in which Bradford safely scored from third.
Central
Hinds would let an opportunity slip through their fingers in the bottom of the
fifth inning when the Cougars managed to load the bases with two outs but could
not capitalize and as a result it would prove to be costly.
Dakota
Dailey led off the top of the sixth inning with a first pitch single into left
field. Both Aaron McAlexander and Vince Hoyt smashed long bombs to the farthest
reaches of centerfield falling just short of going yard but with two outs in
the inning Von Watson did the honors as the sophomore drilled the first pitch
he saw well over the centerfield wall with Dakota Dailey on base to give the
Patriots what would be the final score of 6-4.
Aaron
McAlexander closed the door to preserve the win as the senior retired the last
six Central Hinds batters he faced.
Seven
different Marshall players collected a hit on the night with sophomore Devin
McGregor (Photo left) leading the way going 2/3 and an RBI, Aaron McAlexander was 2/4 and
Chance Lykens went 2/4 with an RBI.
Marshall
improved to 19-11 and will take a 1-0 series lead heading back home to Holly
Springs where game two will take place on Thursday.
Keller
Bradford took the loss for Central Hinds (21-8).
Post Game with Marshall Head Coach Bart Jenkins
