Patriots advance past first round

Marshall Academy defeated Manchester Academy Mavericks in a bestof- three series. The Mavericks won game one, but the Patriots took care of business last Thursday with the next two games. This was the Patriots’ fourth home win.

“They punched us in the mouth on game one, seven to zero,” coach Dustin Skelton said. “Then game two, it was back-and-forth.”

Skelton praised Mavericks coach Staci Hester for keeping the score close every inning.

“He’s done a great job with those guys as they responded just about every inning,” Skelton said.

“This was one of the best games we faced this year,” Skelton said. “They just never went away, and they always competed in the [batters] box and did the things that they were supposed to do to make us throw extra pitches, but we turned it around.”

The Patriots edged the Mavericks in both games; in the first game, the score was 12-10, and in the second game, it was 6-5.

“The Mavericks kept answering back,” Skelton said. “I brought back in my starter to the mound and got one out and we won the ball game.”

The Patriots’ victory was impressive, considering the Mavericks gave up on average only 2.35 a game runs all season.

Up next for the Patriots is a series with Kirk Academy on Tuesday, April 30, and then back home on Thursday, May 2, for a doubleheader at 4 p.m.