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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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McKenzie and Huntingdon dueled in a classic baseball game
commensurate with rivalry status.There were highs and lows. Neither team's will broke. In
the end, a bloop single doomed the visiting McKenzie
Rebels and lifted the Mustangs to a 3-2 victory in an
eight-inning thriller.
Matt Spellings bloop single with two on in the bottom of
the eighth sealed the deal. With Tiger Woods' precision,
Spellings deposited Rebel hurler Brian Winston's offering
between first baseman Jake Smith and right fielder Daniel
Hollowell. Had he walked to the spot and placed it there
himself, it couldn't have been more perfect.
"That's baseball," said a bemused Rebel coach Josh Kee,
disappointed with the loss, but pleased with the display
of both teams. "We didn't give it to them, they didn't
give it to us. They just beat us."
Spellings fought off the nasty pitch from Winston and got
it off the handle just high enough to score Andrew Maddox,
who earlier reached on a single to start the eighth.
Those who savor the nuances of baseball would have
relished this game. It had swings, strategy and courage.
Coaches tried to manufacture runs in this tight pitcher's
duel. There were big hits and a lot of "almosts."
Junior Rebel pitcher Jake Smith made his first start of
the year and it was a courageous effort. He had suffered a
shoulder injury from football, but showed no ill effects
as he scattered four Mustang hits and struck out five. He
walked five.
Meanwhile, Spellings was equally effective on the hill,
limiting Rebel hitters to three hits and striking out nine
in eight innings of work. He also hit one batter.
Huntingdon scored two runs in the bottom of the second
when Adam Parish and Maddox each reached and later scored.
The Rebels got back into the game in the fourth when
freshman Drew Hayes blasted the first pitch he saw in that
inning over the wall to left center, but the Rebels
stranded a runner there and trailed 2-1.
Facing a do-or-die setting, the Rebels knotted the score
in their half of the seventh, forcing Huntingdon to bat in
the bottom half. Jake Smith laced a seeing-eyed double
over third base and scored when Demerick Diggs almost did
the same thing on the very next pitch. Diggs was left
stranded on second. The score was even at 2. When
Huntingdon failed to score in the seventh, the fans were
treated to free baseball.
Winston came into the seventh with runners on second and
third with one out after a sacrifice bunt. Two ground out
bunts and a fly out later and the two teams headed to the
eighth.
MHS couldn't get anything going in the eighth, but
Huntingdon put runners on second and third with one out,
leading to Spellings' game-winning hit.
"We didn't hit the ball that well," said Kee. "But we have
the capability to play well. We could go deep in the
tournaments."
McKenzie's game with Riverside, slated for Friday
afternoon, was rained out. It was reset, with senior
recognition ceremonies, for Tuesday afternoon.
Elsewhere:
HUNTINGDON 10, WEST CARROLL 0 at Huntingdon - The Mustangs
scored early and often a they won a five-inning, District
13A affair with the War Eagles.
Leading 3-0 in the second, John Taylor led off with a solo
blast. Three batters later, Justin Truett drilled a
two-run shot for the 6-0 lead.
Taylor had a two-run single in the fourth for an 8-0 lead.
Maddox drove home two more runs with his single in the
fifth to end the game.
Will White was the winning pitcher for the 'Stangs. He
issued two hits, a walk and a strikeout as his defense did
the job behind him. |
