Fordyce hands Parkers Chapel first loss
PARKERS CHAPEL - Sometimes the game after a big victory can be a tough hurdle to clear.
Parkers Chapel found that out on Thursday, as Fordyce upended the Trojans 13-3 at Robert McKinnon Park.
The domination by the Redbugs was thorough.
The visitors outhit the Trojans 12-2 with six of those hits coming in a nine-run explosion in the sixth that turned a close game into one that ended via mercy rule.
"Fordyce came to play and we didn't," said Parkers Chapel coach Mark Looney. "They banged out 12, 13 hits, we had one hit on the day. You can't beat anybody having one hit. We showed up and went through the motions and took our loss. We'll have to regroup from it, start over, put this one behind us and move on to the next one."
Leading 4-3 going into the sixth, the Redbugs (2-0) sent 14 batters to the plate as part of the afore-
mentioned nine-run uprising.
Jack Brent and Dalton Pamplin started the sixth with back-to-back singles that ended PC starter Blake Wells’ day on the mound.
Reece Griffin was summoned to try and halt the Redbugs’ momentum, but Taggart Gray greeted the right-hander with a single to load the bases.
Jaylen Harper followed with a base hit to left that scored Brent, and courtesy runner Tray Hudson scored when the ball was misplayed in the outfield for an error to make it 6-3.
After a walk to Adam English reloaded the bases, Dearius Sledge laced a two-run single to center to push the lead to 8-3.
Ketric Sledge followed with a walk to load the bases, prompting another pitching change.
Carson Worthey was then tasked with trying to slow down the Redbugs, and the right-hander got off to a good start by getting Grayden Ramsay to hit into a fielder's choice with pinch runner Hagen Sullivant getting forced out at the plate.
The momentum would be short-lived, as Billy Ferrell cleared the bases with a double to the gap in left-center to make it 11-3.
Fordyce scored their final two runs as the result of an error and wild pitch to make the final margin.
The game got off to an ominous start for the Trojans after the Redbugs scored two runs in the opening inning.
With a runner at first and two outs in the first, Wells appeared to be in good shape.
However, Ferrell walked, and a run scored when the throw to first on Brent’s grounder was dropped.
Pamplin then singled home a run to make it 2-0, but the Trojans (3-1) got back on even terms in the second.
Griffin led off with a walk and Jacob Hobbs followed with a single to center to put runners at first and second.
A walk to Tyler Sanders loaded the bases, and Jordan Arrington drove in a run with groundout.
Wells followed with a walk to reload the bases, and Trace Blaylock tied the game with a groundout to second.
The game wouldn’t stay tied for long, as the Redbugs strung together three consecutive hits to reclaim the lead in the third.
Sledge and Ramsay started the inning with base hits.
Ferrell then followed with a base hit to left that scored Sledge, and when the ball was mishandled in the outfield, Ramsay scored to make it 4-2.
The Trojans got a run back in the bottom of the third on Griffin’s sacrifice fly, and they nearly tied the game in the fourth, but with a runner at second and two outs, Sledge knocked down a line drive off of Blaylock's bat before recovering to throw out the PC shortstop.
Brent, Fordyce's starter, picked up the win after allowing three runs and one hit in three innings of work. He walked four and struck out one.
Sledge threw three scoreless innings in relief, allowing one hit with three walks and three strikeouts.
Wells suffered the loss after allowing eight hits and six runs in five-plus innings. He walked one and struck out five.
Sledge, Ramsey, Ferrell and Pamplin each had two hits for the Redbugs with Ferrell driving in four runs in the win. Star City 12, Smackover 2 SMACKOVER - Walks proved to be the nemesis for the Bucks (0-3), as three pitchers combined to walk 10 batters.
Although he finished with nine strikeouts, Weston Smith was the losing pitcher after allowing five runs in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and allowed two hits.
Tucker Evans allowed four runs and three hits over 1 1/3 innings in relief. He walked five and struck out one.
Baylor Brumley allowed three hits and three runs in one inning. He walked one and struck out one.
Beau Burson, who was 2-for-3 in the contest, had an RBI single, and Clay Stringer drove in a run with a sacrifice fly as part of a two-run third to account for the Bucks' offense.
Brennan McKnight, Cody Smith and Nick Jennings each had one hit for Smackover.