MACKS CREEK - The Pirates ran into a buzzsaw on Friday night when the Halfway Cardinals swooped in and handed Macks Creek a 24-0 defeat in three innings.
The Cardinals plated 10 runs in the first and another 14 in the second to create their final margin.
Macks Creek loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. Trever Smith singled with two outs and was replaced by courtesy runner Jose Cortez. A hit-by-pitch of Tanner Smith and a walk to Hunter Harris put the Pirates in position to score. A ground ball to third and a force out at the bag ended the threat. In the bottom of the second Austin Brown walked and Olivier Sanchez was hit-by-a-pitch with one out to put runners at first and second. Following a fly out to center, Brown would be thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch for the third out. The Pirates put two runners on in the third when Ethan English was hit-by-a-pitch and Tanner Smith walked, but they would remain stranded.
Tanner Smith (1-3) started and took the loss for the Pirates. He worked one-third of an inning and was touched for 10 unearned runs on four hits while walking one and hitting one batter. Preston Borgmeyer relieved and worked an inning, allowing four runs, two earned on one hit while striking out two and walking two. Austin Brown worked one-third of an inning and was touched for 10 runs, four earned, on seven hits while striking out one, walking one, and hitting one batter. Ethan English worked the third inning and allowed one hit while striking out two and walking one.
Offensively Trever Smith collected the lone hit for the Pirates. Ethan English reached on a hit-by-pitch, Tanner Smith walked and was beaned, Hunter Harris and Austin Brown walked, and Olivier Sanchez was hit-by-a-pitch.
The Pirates fall to 5-10 (2-4 in PCL) with the loss. They will play host to the Climax Springs Cougars on Monday before the Iberia Rangers visit on Tuesday. Game times for both are slated for 5:00 p.m.
VARSITY BOX SCORE
1 2 3 R H E
HHS 10 14 0 24 13 0
MC 0 0 0 0 1 7