HERMITAGE - Macks Creek opened their Spring 2021 season and Polk County League play on Friday night with an 11-0 win over the Hermitage Hornets. The game had been moved to Hermitage due to soggy field conditions in Macks Creek.
The Pirates plated four runs in the top of the first and never looked back. Grant English walked, moved to second on a passed ball, and eventually scored on wild pitches. Ethan English then reached on a dropped third strike and stole second before moving to third on a wild pitch. Trever Smith walked and stole second before Tanner Smith singled in both Ethan and Trever for a 3-0 lead. Tanner would later score on a wild pitch. Tyler Newcomb would be hit-by-a-pitch and Keith Edelman would walk to put runners at first and second but would remain stranded.
In the second Macks Creek pushed across three more runs. Grant English singled, moved to third on an Ethan English single to right, and then scored on a Trever Smith single. Ethan English stole second and moved to third on the Trever single. Trever would then steal second before Tanner Smith walked. A walk to Preston Borgmeyer would push Ethan across and Trever would later score on a wild pitch to put Macks Creek up at 7-0 after two.
The Pirates would load the bases in the third inning but would be unable to score. In the top of the fourth they were able to push across two more runs. Hunter Harris walked and moved to second on Keith Edelman's ball to first that was misplayed. Hunter would be erased on a Dakota Willis fielder's choice to short in the next at-bat. Grant English would single to load the bases before Ethan English pushed in Edelman from third with a fielder's choice to short. Grant was erased at second on the play. A walk by Trever Smith loaded the bases and Tanner Smith followed with an RBI-single for the second and final run of the frame. A ground ball to third erased Trever on a force out to end the half-inning.
In the fifth Hunter Harris and Keith Edelman both walked with one out. A wild pitched advanced them an extra base before Dakota Willis singled up the middle to push both in. He would be erased at second on Grant English fielder's choice to the pitcher, Ethan English would reach on a walk, and Trever Smith would be hit-by-a-pitch before Tanner Smith grounded out to second to end the inning.
Hermitage threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth. Kavon Wright and Bennett Mantooth both singled and moved up a base on Cason Hickey's ground out to second. A pop out to short and a ground ball back to the pitcher ended the threat and the game.
"I was pleased with our effort tonight and the approach we had," commented Coach Trusty, "we were glad to finally get a game in after all the rain that we've had for the last week."
"I thought we were patient at the plate and put the ball in play well," he added.
Grant English (1-0) started and went the distance for the Pirates. He worked all five innings, striking out nine, walking one, and allowing three hits.
Justin Mitchell started for the Hornets. He worked the first two innings, allowing seven runs, six earned, on four hits while striking out seven, walking six, and hitting one batter. Bennett Mantooth worked two-and-a-third innings, allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits while striking out one, walking four, and hitting one. Justus Yates collected the final out on one pitch in the fifth.
Offensively the Pirates were paced by Grant English and Tanner Smith. Grant collected two singles, a double, reached on a fielder's choice, walked, and scored two runs while Tanner Smith singled three times, scored a run, walked once, and collected three RBI's. Ethan English singled once, reached on a strikeout, twice on errors, once on a fielder's choice, walked, had an RBI, and scored two runs, Trever Smith singled, walked twice, reached on a fielder's choice, was hit-by-a-pitch, and scored two runs to go along with an RBI. Preston Borgmeyer walked and had an RBI, Tyler Newcomb was hit-by-a-pitch, Hunter Harris walked three times and scored a run, Keith Edelman walked twice, reached on an error, and scored two runs while Dakota Willis singled in two runs, reached on a fielder's choice, and scored once.
Justin Mitchell doubled and reached on an error for the Hornets. Kavon Wright and Bennett Mantooth each singled to round out the hits. Cason Hickey reached on an error and Bryce Franse walked.
Macks Creek sits at 1-0 (1-0 in PCL) while Hermitage falls to 0-1 (0-1 in PCL). Macks Creek is back in action on Monday when they travel to Fair Play to take on the Hornets in another PCL match-up. They then host the Stover Bulldogs on Tuesday and the Humansville Tigers on Thursday. All game times are slated to start at 5:00 p.m.
The Pirates JV fell by a score of 11-7.
Dakota Willis started and took the loss. He worked the first inning, allowing 11 runs, four earned, on seven hits while walking three. Austin Brown worked the second inning and faced the minimum while striking out one batter.
Kyler Gabriel walked and scored, Olivier Sanchez walked, reached on an error, and scored twice, and Austin Brown walked once, was hit-by-a-pitch once, and scored two runs. John Perez reached twice on errors, Hunter Harris walked and scored, and Connor Welsh reached on an error and scored once as well.
The JV Pirates are 0-1 with the loss.
VARSITY BOX SCORE
1 2 3 4 5 R H E
MC 4 3 0 2 2 11 9 2
HERM. 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 5