L-E BOYS BEAT ATLANTA, 10-3, IN BASEBALL,
Just once since Zach Fowler's senior year has Liberty-Eylau's baseball team won its district opener, before Thursday.
The Leopards are 1-0 to start their District 14-4A campaign under Fowler, who helped guide the Leopards to two state tournament appearances in 2006 (state champions) and 2007, after L-E jumped out to a 9-0 lead through two innings and defeated Atlanta, 10-3, at H.E. Markham Park.
“This was a huge win for us; 1-0 looks a lot better than 0-1,” Fowler said. “We're pumped about it. Tonight we earned a lot of those walks because of how we competed in the (batter's) box. We would get 1-2 or 0-2 on us, and we would foul a few balls off to work a walk. Our pitcher gave us a chance to win, and our defense gave us a chance to win.”
Senior left-hander Rory Baugus pitched 6-plus strong innings, scattering nine hits and needing 95 pitches to work into the seventh, when three consecutive hits prompted Fowler to make a change to Garrett Brooks. Brooks got three outs on three pitches, inducing a double play and a flyout to center to end the game.
Baugus struck out three with no walks and sat down the first nine he faced in order, helping Liberty-Eylau (8-10, 1-0) extend its win streak to five in a row.
The Rabb pitchers struggled
against a patient L-E lineup, issuing nine of the 13 free passes in the first two innings. The Leopards put up two in the first on bases-loaded walk by Tre Hodge and when Marzavian Riles was hit by a pitch a batter later.
In the second, Liberty-Eylau sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring seven on three hits and a pair of Atlanta errors. Baugus' infield hit started the inning, and an error kept it going. A walk loaded the bases for Cutter Webb, whose groundball drove in a run. Another walk preceded a hit batsman, earning an RBI for Hodge, and Riles grounded a 2-run single into left.
Ethan Brooks' single also drove in a run, and Bryan Moore's fielder's choice plated another to make it 9-0. Webb singled in a run in the fifth for the Leopards as well.
“Liberty-Eylau found a way to put some pressure on us and put some balls in play,” Atlanta coach David Hooten said. “We didn't do a very good job of getting what we call kill pitches, down and located. We threw a lot of fastballs because we couldn't get any off-speed over. We've got to find some kids who're going to get on the mound and compete because after the second inning we win the last five innings.
“But int he first two innings, they loaded the bases on us and kept the pressure on us. Zach and his coaches do a really good job with their runners and creating that chaos on the bases.”
Layton Henson broke up Baugus' perfect game with an infield single to lead off the fourth, and Jose Arredondo lined a one-out single to center. Max Ebard followed with a hit to load the bases, and a 2-out error sent Henson and Arredondo home. Luke Anthony also had a hit before a groundout ended the inning without any more damage.
Pinch-hitter Zee Barfoot singled to left to start the Rabbs' seventh, and Henson and Nick Hale added line-drive hits to load the bags. Barfoot scored on the double-play ball.
Riles was 1 for 2 with 3 RBI for the Leopards, Webb was 1 for 3 with 2 RBI, and Hodge also had 2 RBI.
Henson and Anthony had two hits each to lead Atlanta's 9-hit attack.
In 2014, according to records, the Leopards won their district opener, 5-4, over Pleasant Grove.