Chargers drop decision at home to Blue Devils

ACKERMAN – It couldn’t have been a nicer night for baseball in Choctaw County, but Andy Young, the coach of the Chargers, saw a snowball develop that wasn’t caused by the weather.

What began as a competitive game for Choctaw County in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs eventually became a 7-2 victory in the favor of visiting Booneville Blue Devils Friday night.

“(Friday night) was just a snowball effect,” Young said. “We were up 2-1 and then somehow things just fell apart and we had way too many errors. We are going to have to work on fielding and making contact (today) in order to force a game three.

In the first inning, the Chargers took care of business to hold the Blue Devils scoreless in the top frame.

Choctaw County reached base twice, but both runners were tagged out at second base as the game remained scoreless.

The second inning saw runners at the corners for Booneville, but Chargers pitcher Austin Telano delivered a strikeout to keep the Blue Devils off the board.

Choctaw County scored on a double from Hunter Crimm plating Tanner Threadgill to take a 1-0 lead tin the inning.

In the third inning, Booneville scored on an error to tie the game at 1-1.

The Chargers got a double from Brice Utley and a walk to Telano in the fifth inning. A wild pitch advanced the runners to second and third, followed by another wild pitch that scored Utley making the score 2-1 in favor of Choctaw County.

The sixth inning saw Telano’s night end after five plus innings and eight strikeouts, giving way to relief pitcher Billy Ray Evans.

A triple by the Blue Devils and an error from the Chargers allowed two runs, giving Booneville a 3-2 lead.

Choctaw County (14-7) plays game two today in Booneville on the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College at 6 p.m.