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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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When McKenzie next plays a baseball game, it will have
its backs to the wall. There will be no tomorrow without a
victory.Friday night at Milan, the Rebels suffered an 8-3 setback
at the hands of the Bulldogs in the first round of the
District 11AA tournament. Fielding lapses in the middle
innings proved costly to McKenzie, who entered tourney
play as the league's second seed.
Brian Winston started the game off with a two-RBI home run
in the first inning and had things well in control on the
mound. The two teams were knotted up at 3 as the fifth
inning started.
But in that fateful fifth, Milan scored four times, all
with two out. It all started when a bloop fly ball landed
in that Berumda Triangle of three players. Instead of
coming off the field and preparing to bat, the Rebels had
to try and put out the fire. A throwing error cost the
Rebs again and when the dust settled, McKenzie trailed
7-3.
Then the MHS bats went silent as Milan pitcher Scott
Holmes got in a groove and rang up his eighth win of the
season. Holmes also went 4-5 with a pair of doubles to aid
his own cause.
"We can't give up 10 outs an inning and expect to win,"
said McKenzie coach Josh Kee. "It's tournament time and
you have to make plays. We just had a few lapses."
Kee said he wasn't disappointed with the way his team hit
the ball.
"We only struck out three times, so we were putting it in
play," he said. "We hit the ball hard at times, but it was
usually right at someone."
Winston was 2-4 with four RBI. Matt Jones was 1-4 with an
RBI. Jay Taylor and Jake Smith each had a hit.
McKenzie will remain alive if it continues to win. A loss
at any point along the way will end the season. Only the
regional champions advance to substate and only substate
winners move on to the Spring Fling, which will be held in
Memphis this year. In other action:
McKENZIE 10, RIVERSIDE 9 at McKenzie - The Rebels jumped
on the teeter totter with Riverside and needed all seven
innings to swing the balance in their favor.
McKenzie jumped to a 3-0 lead early, but some fielding
lapses enabled the visiting Panthers a chance to take a
lead.
The Rebs trailed 6-3 at one point when senior Brian
Winston knotted up the game with a two-out, three-run shot
in the fifth inning.
Riverside rallied to lead 7-6 in the sixth and the Rebs
regained a 9-7 advantage in their half. The Panthers tied
the game, setting up McKenzie freshman Drew Hayes'
sacrifice fly to win the game.
His lob scored Chance Hudgins, who was courtesy running
for catcher Mark Ghyers, who reached on a walk.
Junior Jake Smith earned his first pitching victory of the
season. He also doubled. Matt Jones was 3-5 with an RBI.
Winston was 2-3 with a double to go with the dinger and
five RBI. Hayes had a single and an RBI. Demerick Diggs
tripled and drove in three runs. |
