CLIMAX SPRINGS - Macks Creek returned to the road on Friday night, making a short trip north to take on the Climax Springs Cougars. The Pirates were able to come away with a 14-1 win in 5 innings.
Macks Creek was able to put two runners on in the top of the first. Ethan English reached on a catcher's interference and Trever Smith followed with a ground ball to short that was misplayed. Ethan was replaced by courtesy runner Jose Cortez and Trever was replaced by Isaiah Schmidt as his courtesy runner. Cortez had stolen short prior to the error at short and was able to move to third. Schmidt stole second. Tanner Smith then laced a line drive to center field that was caught and then throw to second to double-off Schmidt at second base.
Climax responded with their only run in the bottom of the first. Cole Smith walked and the moved to third on Gesse Smith's single to right. Cole would score when a backpick attempt at third went into left field. Gesse would then be doubled-off at first when Olivier Plott's pop up to first was thrown to first. Justus Duncan would walk and Johny McCartney would single and move Duncan to third. A strike out would end the inning with the Cougars ahead 1-0.
The score would remain that until the third. With one out Kyler Gabriel walked and stole second. Ethan English would walk and again be replaced by courtesy runner Jose Cortez. Trever Smith then hit a ball to short that was again mishandled. Gabriel would score to tie the game and Cortez would move to third on the play. Isaiah Schmidt replaced Trever again and stole second. Tanner Smith would then be hit-by-a-pitch to load the bases before Hunter Harris walked to bring in Cortez. A strike out would end the inning with the bases loaded, but the Pirates now held a 2-1 lead.
The Cougars looked to score in their half of the third. Oliver Polott singled and moved to second on a balk. Johny McCartney and Elias Duncan each drew back-to-back walks to load the bases, but back-to-back strike outs would end the threat.
Macks Creek plated six more runs in the top of the fourth. Preston Borgmeyer walked to lead off the inning and then stole second. A strike out brought Kyler Gabriel to the plate, who would be hit-by-a-pitch before Grant English singled to right to plate Preston and move Kyler to third. After another stolen base by Grant a strike out would create out number two. Trever Smith would walk, with Schmidt again coming in as the courtesy runner, just ahead of a Tanner Smith single down the third baseline that plated Gabriel and Grant, and also moved Schmidt to third. Tanner moved to second when the throw back to the field was over the fielder. Hunter Harris hit a ball to short that brought in Schmidt and moved Tanner to third. A balk call brought in Tanner and moved Harris to third, just ahead of Dakota Willis's single to center to bring in Hunter. A strike out would end the inning with the Pirates pushing their lead to 8-2.
The Pirates plated six more runs in the top of the fifth to create the final margin. Olivier Sanchez singled and then was able to move to third on an error by the catcher.Kyler Gabriel would be hit-by-a-pitch to put runners at the corners. Grant English then followed with a triple to left-center, pushing in both Sanchez and Gabriel. Grant would score on the play when the relay was mishandled. Ethan English would be hit-by-a-pitch and moved to second when Trever Smith's pop up to second was dropped. Both would advance to load the bases. A strike out and a fielder choice of the bat created outs number one and two, but saw Ethan come in to score. Preston Borgmeyer singled in Tanner Smith. Olivier Sanchez and Kyler Gabriel each walked, with Gabriel's bringing in courtesy runner Cortez, before a fly out to center ended the inning with Macks Creek now leading 14-1.
"We were able to make some adjustments and put the ball in play a little more consistently tonight," commented Macks Creek Coach Jason Trusty, "we put some pressure on them defensively and we also did a better job defensively on our part as well."
Dakota Willis (1-2) picked up his first career Varsity win in relief. He worked the final two-and-two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking one. Ethan English started for the Pirates and worked the first two-and-a-third innings, allowing one unearned run on five hits while striking out four and walking four.
Oliver Plott took the loss for the Cougars. He worked the first four-plus innings, allowing 10 runs, four earned, on three hits while striking out six, walking five, and hitting three batters. Cole Smith relieved and worked an inning. He was touched for four runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out one, walking three, and hitting one.
Offensively Macks Creek was led by Grant English's two hits on the day, which included a single and a triple. He also scored two runs and drove in three. Tanner Smith singled, scored twice, walked once, was hit-by-a-pitch, and had two RBI's. Dakota Willis singled, had two RBI's, and reached on a fielder's choice. Preston Borgmeyer walked, scored, and had an RBI-single, and Olivier Sanchez walked, scored, and singled. Ethan English reached base on an error, walked, was hit-by-a-pitch and scored, Trever Smith reached three times by errors and walked, Hunter Harris walked, reached on an error, had an RBI, and scored, and Kyler Gabriel walked twice, had an RBI, was hit twice, and scored three runs. Jose Cortez scored twice and Isaiah Schmidt once as courtesy runners.
The Cougars banged out five hits on the day. Cole Smith doubled, walked, and scored, Gesse Smith singled, Oliver Plott singled and walked, and Johny McCartney singled, walked, and reached on an error. Kaiden Phillips also singled for the Cougars. Justus Duncan and Elias Duncan each walked.
Macks Creek moves to 4-8 with the win while the Cougars fall to 1-10. The Pirates begin a busy week on Monday when they play host to the Humansville Tigers in a make-up game. Tuesday they welcome in Richland, Thursday they travel to Crocker, and Friday they play host to Halfway. All games begin at 5:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday will be Varsity-only contests.
The Pirates JV fell to 2-7 with a 5-4 loss in the night cap.
Hunter Harris started for the JV Pirates on the mound. He worked one-and-a-third innings, allowing four runs on three hits while striking out one and five. Austin Brown (0-1) suffered the loss. He worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing one run while striking out two and walking three.
Preston Borgmeyer collected the only hit for the JV. He also had an RBI, walked, and scored two runs. Jose Cortez walked, Nolan Donathan walked twice and scored once, and Isaiah Schmidt reached on a fielder's choice. Ethan English walked, John Perez walked twice, Austin Brown walked twice as well and had an RBI, and Kyler Gabriel also walked twice.
VARSITY BOX SCORE
1 2 3 4 5 R H E
MC 0 0 2 6 6 14 6 3
CS 1 0 0 0 0 1 5 8