MA Patriots eliminate Panthers

Dustin Skelton said his coffee tasted really good Saturday morning.

That's because the evening before his Marshall Academy baseball team eliminated Canton Academy and advanced to the third round of the Class 4A State Baseball Tournament.

“We're chasing a goal, and right now we are playing as good as we've played all year,” the head coach said. “We just have to keep it rolling.”

MA swept the Panthers in a best two-of-three series, a 10-0 win in game one Tuesday, April 22, at home followed by a 10-2 victory almost three hours to the south Friday.

Gage Todd ignited Marshall in the bottom of the first to start the series. His hit to left field drove in two runs. The Patriots also picked up a run on a wild pitch and led 3-0.

In the third, Phillip Sharpe drove in a pair of runs with a hit up the middle, and the offense kept clicking the rest of the game.

Todd, Sharpe and Mason Woods led the way. Todd went three for three with four runsbatted-in. One of those hits was a triple in the fifth. Sharpe added two hits and four RBIs. Woods also had a pair of hits. The Patriots finished with nine hits.

“Offensively, we were constantly putting pressure on them (the Panthers),” said Skelton, whose Patriots just had three strikeouts as a team. “Gage (Todd) doesn't get the credit he deserves. He is so consistent at the plate. Top to bottom, our line-up is special.”

Sharpe shined from the mound. In earning the complete-game win, he fanned 10, walked two and gave up two hits and no runs.

“He moved the fast ball around and kept them off balance,” Skelton said.

The MA offense again put the pressure on early in game two Friday at Canton. Hayden Lundine opened the game with a hit. M. Woods and Todd both doubled, with the latter hit driving in two runs.

The Panthers briefly answered in this one. Back-toback home runs in the bottom of the first tied the game at 2.

It was all Patriots from there. The visitors went up 5-2 in the top of the second and never looked back. Both Todd and Collin Woods doubled in the inning.

Marshall collected 10 hits in the eight-run victory. Ninth grade catcher Charlie Cross doubled in the third. Colt Carpenter went two for three and stole three bases. M. Woods had two hits.

“We're buying into the right approach at the plate,” Skelton said. “Hayden (Lundine) is setting the tone for us at leadoff. He sees a lot of pitches and puts the ball in play. All the guys are focused.”

Todd started on the mound and recorded the win. In five innings of work, he struck out four, walked two and gave up two hits and two runs. M. Woods closed the game, striking out three and walking two.

“Defensively, we made the plays behind them,” Skelton said.

The Patriots (23-9) face Winona Christian this week in the state's final eight. Game one was scheduled for Tuesday at Winona with games two and three (if needed) Wednesday in Holly Springs. If MA takes this series, it will face the North Delta-Manchester survivor next week for the North State championship.