Thursday, March 11, 2010
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Thursday, March 11, 2010 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
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MA wins four in tourney
Marshall Academy hosted the Tracy Rodgers Memorial Tournament last week and cruised through the double round robin with a 4-0 record. After several years of not having the tournament, it was resurrected to pay tribute to the former student athlete who attended the school from 1969-1979. Unfortunately, Rodgers was killed during his junior year in a tragic car accident on October 13, 1979. A gifted athlete, he participated in basketball, football, track and baseball at Marshall Academy. Rodgers received all-conference awards in football and baseball and was a member of the Beta Club. In the spring of 1980, the Marshall Academy baseball staff began the Tracy Rodgers Memorial Baseball Tournament to remember him and to acknowledge his love for baseball. Byhalia also participated in the tournament. The Indians went 1-3. MA 15 Byhalia 4 Marshall erupted for 12 runs in the first inning in route to the 15-4 victory. Tyler Childers paced the Patriots’ offensive attack with a three-for-four performance, including a double, a home run and six RBIs. Parker James also had a productive night at the plate accounting for three RBIs, including a double. James was the winning pitcher, recording five strikeouts in three innings of work. He allowed two runs but neither were earned. His record stands at 2-0. Mitchell Cartwright took the loss for Byhalia. Cartwright led the Byhalia Indian offense. He was two for three with two stolen bases. MA 9 MHEA 3 A close game was broken open by the Patriots in the fifth inning as they sent 13 men to the plate, scoring eight runs on their way to a 9-3 victory over Memphis-Area Home Education Association. Marshall had trailed 2-1 heading into the frame as the Pats’ John Wesley Ray and the Eagles’ Dustin Rhea locked into a pitcher’s duel. The only score of the game heading into the fourth was when MA’s Dustin Allen was hit by a pitch, advancing to third on an error by the center fielder on James’ batted ball and scoring on a wild pitch.
With both pitchers giving way to relievers, MA mounted the comeback. James doubled and Elgin Lafever singled to start the inning followed by Childers reaching on an error. Joey Brock helped his own cause by laying down a bunt, scoring the go-ahead run and also reaching base for a single. With one out, Jacob McMinn, Ray, Matt Rappa, Allen and James all reached base with run scoring hits to put the game out of reach. Brock, who had relieved Ray in the fourth and worked out of a bases-loaded jam by striking out the side, earned the victory. He went four innings, allowing one hit, walking none and striking out five. His record stands at 1-1. “Joey (Brock) was the difference,” coach Johnny Ray said. “He had his back against the wall when he entered the game but he really stepped up. Hopefully he can build on this his next outing.” James and Ray both were three for four at the plate with an RBI each. McMinn was two for four with an RBI. MA 14 MHEA 6 Marshall scored seven runs in the first and five in the second to mount a commanding 12-4 lead. The run support was just what starting pitcher Evan Hickman needed as he settled in and held the Eagles scoreless in the third and fourth. “We knew coming in that we were a little shorthanded on the mound and needed Evan to give us some quality innings,” Coach Ray said. “He did just that. I told our hitters to support our pitching staff and they responded” Marshall was without several players on Thursday and Friday with three being sick and two being gone for the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools all-star basketball game. Hickman scattered five hits and struck out six. He walked one. He is 1-0 on the year.
Brock had a four for four game at the plate with three singles, a home run and six RBIs. Lafever had a three-hit game and Childers, James, McMinn and Joey Omedeo each had two safeties each. Marshall had a season high 17 hits. “It’s fun when we swing the bats like that,” Ray said. “Hitting is contagious” MA 11 Byhalia 1 This was a close game for four innings until the Patriots could get to Indian starting pitcher Kevin Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick baffled MA for the first three innings. The only runs the Patriots could score were on Indian miscues. After three Marshall led 3-0. In the fourth, Byhalia’s Tedrick Moore led off with a triple off of Patriot starter Will Patton and scored one batter later on an RBI groundout by Fitzpatrick. Pat Malone followed with a single but Patton picked him off first base to record the second out. Mitchell Cartwright wouldn’t let the rally die as he reached on an infield single and promptly stole second and third. After Gary Calhoun walked, to place runners at first and third, Patriot catcher Dustin Allen picked Cartwright off third to end the threat. Marshall responded by scoring two in the bottom of the fourth and six in the fifth to win the run rule shortened game 11-1. Childers was the only Patriot hitter with multiple hits as he was two for three with two RBIs. Patton was strong on the mound, striking out nine and allowing three hits. The only base runners he allowed were in the fourth when the Indians scored their runs. “This was the best outing Will has had this spring,” Ray said. “He controlled the strike zone and didn’t walk but one. Fifty-one of his 73 pitches were for strikes. If he can continue to do that then he will have a lot of success.” Byhalia-MHEA The Indians also split against MHEA in the Tracy Rodgers Memorial Tournament. They knocked the Eagles 6-2 on Monday of last week. Malone earned pitching win and enjoyed a two-for-three performance at the plate. Other top hitters for Bubba Brown’s Indians were Calhoun (three for three), Jalen Applewhite (two of three) and Cartwright (two of four). The Indians then lost 10-0 to MHEA later in the week. Applewhite took the mound loss. “We did not hit the ball well at all,” Coach Brown said. He said one of his goals in the tournament was to look at different pitchers before the district games begin. “I looked at different six pitchers last week, and that what I wanted to do,” Brown said. Schedule Marshall (6-2) hosted North Delta Monday and played Lake Cormorant at Southaven Tuesday. Thursday, the Patriots go to North Delta and then Friday they play at Center Hill. Next week the Pats plays in the Lewis Harris Tournamant. Monday, March 15, they play Fayette Academy at 4 p.m. at Arlington, Tenn., High School. Tuesday, they face Tipton Rosemark at at 5 p.m. at Bartlett, Tenn., High School. Wednesday, they go against Millington High School at 4 p.m. at Bolton High School. Also, next Tuesday, MA hosts Hickory Flat at 11 a.m. at Patriot Field. Byhalia (2-3) hosted Potts Camp on Monday of this week. The Indians host Lewisburg Friday at 5 p.m. and next Monday, March 15, they go to Lake Cormorant for a 5 p.m. game. |
     
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