Hurricanes Drown Seminoles on Diamond
After a few days of rain pelted Jasper County, the Monticello Hurricane baseball team returned to the diamond Tuesday evening to take on the Seminoles of Salem High in Conyers.
The Seminoles came into the game with a 0-9 record, their closest game being a 12-11 loss to region mate Hephzibah the two weeks prior. Levi Shaw was on the mound for the Hurricanes, picking up a spot start as the team heads into region play next week. The game started off well, with Shaw striking out the leadoff batter for the Seminoles before back-to-back walks put runners on.
After another strikeout, the Seminoles attempted a steal of third, and a throwing error by Chandler Aguirre allowed the runner to score. Shaw struck out the batter that was at the plate to end the inning, but the Seminoles were up 1-0.
In the bottom half of the first the Hurricanes had their best offensive inning of the year, plating 10 runners and coming close to batting around twice in the inning. Back-to-back walks to Evan Diaz and Chevy Sands led off the game, with Hunter Hays sticking the bat out there and lacing a single to left to score Diaz and knot the game at 1.
After a flyout by Aguirre and a double steal by Sands and Hays, Tom Schilling drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to center. Hays was driven in on a line drive single to left by Tres Cohran to increase the margin to 3-1 Hurricanes.
A high chopped single to third by Malyle Thurman allowed him to reach base, and a walk to Riley Savage loaded the bases. After a wild pitch scored Cohran, Ethan McMichael walked to reload the bases. This brought Diaz back up to the plate, and he promptly singled to center, scoring Thurman and Savage. The score was now 6-1 Hurricanes and the rout was on.
A walk to Sands reloaded the bases, and Hays came through again, lacing a single to center and scoring McMichael and Diaz. Sands then scored on a passed ball, and two pitches later Hays came home on a balk by the Seminole pitcher. An Aguirre groundout mercifully ended the inning, with the Hurricanes in control by a 10-1 score.
In the second, things got a little dicey as Shaw hit the first two batters that he faced to put them on with no outs, but back to back strikeouts and a groundout to second thwarted the attempt at a rally by Salem, and brought the Hurricanes back in to hit.
Three hit batters worked around a fielder’s choice ground out to load the bases for the Hurricanes in the bottom of the second inning. A McMichael walk scored the 11th run of the game, and Diaz picked up another line drive to score Thurman. Grady Jordan, who entered the game for Sands, singled to center. This scored both Savage and McMichael, and increased the lead to 14-1 Hurricanes. After a backwards K by Austin Young, Cayden Banks grounded out to end the inning.
The Seminoles were able to plate two runs in the top of the third, assisted by consecutive errors and a double to left to lead off the inning. One of the runs scored on the second error, a throw from second baseman Riley Savage that was too high at first and escaped the attempt of McMichael. A groundout scored the second run. Shaw escaped the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to leave the score at 14-3 Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes went quietly in the bottom of the third, with many of the backups getting a chance to play due to the scoring margin, leaving two runners on base. Preston Russell walked to reach, and Savage lined a single to center to advance him to third. The inning ended with a McMichael pop fly to deep short. In the top of the fourth, Shaw got into a rhythm, setting down the first two batters on strikes, and catching a first pitch liner to close the inning down.
The Hurricanes were finally able to put the Seminoles away in the bottom of the fourth inning courtesy of the 15-run mercy rule. Diaz led off with a walk and promptly stole second, coming around to score on a ball hit to third that was misplayed by their third baseman. Jordan advanced to third on a wild pitch, and after an Austin Young strikeout, Cayden Banks reached via walk.
Jordan scored on another wild pitch, Gabe Evans worked a walk, and Russell got on after being hit-by-pitch. This brought up Jace Campbell, who singled on a line drive to center and drove in Banks. Next batter Savage ended the game by singling to right and driving in Evans. This put the score at the final of 18-3.
Shaw picked up the complete game win going all four innings, allowing only 1 hit while walking 2 and striking out 9 Seminole batters.
The Canes traveled to Washington County Tuesday and will take on Trinity Christian of Dublin on Friday in Dublin. Next week the Canes open up Region 5-A play taking on #1 Prince Avenue Christian in a three game series, playing at home on April 4.
Hurricane Leaders
Batting
Hunter Hays .362 (17/47) 18 R, 4 2B, 13 RBI
Chevy Sands .341 (15/44), 16 R, 3 2B, 15 BB, 5 RBI
Pitching
Hays 1-4 W/L, 37.1 IP, 36 H, 44 R, 25 ER, 35 BB, 61 K, 4.68 ERA
Tom Schilling 2-4 W/L, 25.2 IP, 44 H, 45 R, 17 ER, 19 BB, 24 K, 4.64 ERA