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Royals use long ball to claim Senior Night win over Pendleton, 5-1
Tuesday, May 13, 2008 9:33 PM EDT
In a game that lasted just more than an hour, starting pitchers Corey Walker and Patrick Johnson make quick work of opposing hitters early on before the Royals finally got to Johnson on the second trip through the order. In the bottom of the third, Ryne King dropped a single into right field and scored a batter later when Cox crushed a pitch beyond the left field fence. After Keagen McGee led off the fourth with a double, Lykins did his damage with another shot to left for a 4-0 lead.
Though Cox and Lykins delivered the most devastating blows, they weren't the only seniors to make significant contributions. Eric Meadows delivered two hits and Michael Fegley drove in the game's final run on a flare to right field in the bottom of the sixth.
"Those home runs were big, but all the seniors played well," Mason County coach Mike Murphy said. "They played a whale of a ball game. I thought that was one of the better ball games we've played this year."
While the seniors accounted for much of the offensive production, it was a pair of sophomores who did the job on the mound. Walker worked 6 1/3 innings, striking out three while allowing five hits and one unearned run. With one on and one out in the seventh, left-hander Keagen Burney came on to earn the save.
Though Pendleton County was able to get runners aboard, Walker and Burney were able to come up with outs when they needed them, stranding two runners in each of the last four innings. The Wildcats' lone run crossed in the sixth when Travis Rawe singled, advanced on an error and scored on a base hit by Colton Partin.
"We pitched well," said Murphy. "We try to get them to throw first-pitch strikes and get ahead of the batter so we don't hurt ourselves. Corey Walker had a good game on the mound and Keegan Burney closed the deal."
The error which helped Pendleton's run score was the only one the Royals committed, something that pleased Murphy as much as anything.
"We made one error," Murphy added, "and when you do that, you're going to win a lot of baseball games. I've told them that all year."
The victory improves Mason County's record to 10-18 while Pendleton falls to 8-18. The Royals are in action at home again today when they take on Deming at 5 p.m.
Pendleton County 000 001 0 -- 1 5 1
Mason County 002 201 x -- 5 8 1
WP: Walker. LP: Johnson, Save: Burney. Hitting leaders: PC (Valentine 2-3; Partin 1-2, RBI; Rawe 1-2, R), MC (Lykins 2-3, HR, 2 RBI; Cox 1-3, HR, 2 RBI; Meadows 2-3). Records: Pendleton County 8-18, Mason County 10-18.
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