Patriots crush Colonels; Colts up next

Marshall Academy passed its first test in the Class 3A State Baseball Playoffs with flying colors.

The Patriots got 22 hits in a twogame sweep of Indianola Academy in round one.

“For us, it was a good stepping stone to get our feet wet,” coach Bruce Branch said. “For all of our guys, it’s their first time to experience a playoff atmosphere.

“This got us going in the right direction as we try to make a championship run.” MA, ranked number one in the state entering the post-season, improved its record to 26-2.

Next up in round two is Lee Academy, a fellow District 1-3A member that Marshall beat three times in the regular season.

“It’s going to be a challenge,” Branch said. “They are going to be ready for us.” The Patriots won 13-0 Tuesday, April 20, at Indianola. They connected for 10 hits, six of those coming in a seven-run third inning.

MA took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Landon Houston and Jordan Bonds each drove in a run — Houston with a single and Bonds with a double.

Jack Smith led off the top of the second with a double. Devin Sanders followed with a single. Smith scored on a fielder’s choice.

In the huge third, Rusty Bolden singled, and Walker Sanders got the scoring outburst started with a two-run blast over the left-field fence.

Houston doubled, and later scored on Colton Neal’s double. Jamie Graves’ single scored Smith, who was hit by a pitch. Neal crossed home on an Indianola error. Bolden singled again in the inning and this time drove in a pair of runs.

In the fourth, Bonds drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.

The Patriots added two more runs in the fifth on a couple of Indianola errors.

From the mound, Houston and Bolden combined for a one-hitter. In three innings of work, Houston got the win ­ striking out three, walking two and giving up no hits. In two innings, Bolden struck out one, walked none and gave up one hit.

Colton Atherton had two stolen bases for MA.

Game two of the series Thursday in Holly Springs was tied at 2 in the fourth before the Patriots woke up and cruised to a 13-2 win.

“I had to gather them up there in the middle of the fourth and try to light a spark,” Branch said about his pep talk. “I just told them that we have to do a better job at the plate — get locked in and have better at-bats. Their pitcher was kind of keeping us off guard, but we responded.”

The Patriots jumped on top 2-0 in the bottom of the first. Bolden singled and later scored on an error. Both W. Sanders and Bonds doubled, with Bonds getting an RBI.

The Colonels snatched some momentum in the top of the fourth, tying the contest at 2.

But their energy was short-lived, as the Patriots exploded for 11 runs in the bottom half of that inning.

Bolden drove in a run with a single. W. Sanders followed with a single and two RBIs.

Bonds had the biggest blast of the big inning. He crushed a three-run homer just inside the foul pole in right field.

Jamie Graves’ double scored Smith, who had singled, and D. Sanders, who had walked.

Bolden doubled and drove in two to wrap up the bombardment.

MA had 12 hits in the win. Jackson Graves earned the win from the mound. In four innings, he struck out four, walked none and gave up two hits. Hunter Peeks tossed one inning in relief. He struck out one, walked none and gave up no hits. The Patriots traveled to Clarksdale for game one versus Lee Tuesday of this week.

They will host the Colts Wednesday at 12 noon for game two and game three (if needed).

In the regular season, the Patriots beat Lee 7-0, 2-1 and 170.

“We’ve got a bullseye on our back,” Branch said. “Everybody is gunning for us. The question is — will we be ready? We have to rise up and play our best.”

The winner of the Marshall-Lee series will face the winner of the Oak Hill-Kirk series next week in the state semi-finals.

The two South Half series this week are Riverfield versus Tri-County and Wayne versus Canton.