Local baseballers take lumps Saturday

Published 12:39 am Sunday, March 25, 2012

MADISON — Even though Trinity Episcopal did not have a hit in its game Saturday afternoon at Madison-Ridgeland Academy, the Saints actually had a 2-0 lead on the Patriots after five and a half innings.

But then Caleb Gillespie, the second of what turned out to be four Trinity pitchers, allowed four runs without recording an out in the bottom of the sixth inning and MRA went on to score four more runs en route to an 8-2 win.

Jake Winston started the game for the Saints and pitched three shutout innings. Gillespie relieved Winston and kept the shutout intact. But after Trinity scored its two runs in the top of the sixth inning, the Patriots finally got to Gillespie.

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Kyle Dunaway came in for Gillespie, but he hurt himself on a pitch and faced just two batters. Quinton Logan came in and allowed four runs in one inning of relief.

Gillespie was charged with the loss after giving up the first four runs and the lead to MRA in the bottom of the sixth. Kyle McCullough, who came on in relief for the Patriots’ starting pitcher, got the win. Those two pitchers combined on the no-hitter.

Trinity Episcopal (3-4) plays host to Brookhaven Academy Tuesday with the junior varsity game at 5 p.m. and the varsity game at 7 p.m.

Cathedral falls to Brookhaven and North Pike

BROOKHAVEN — The Cathedral School baseball team did not have much time to lick its wounds after blowing a big lead to West Lincoln Friday night.

The Green Wave took to the field for two games in Brookhaven Saturday, but the results still have the team looking for answers.

In the first game, Cathedral lost to the Brookhaven Panthers 19-1 in just four innings. Andrew Culver held the Green Wave to just four hits in picking up the win on the mound for Brookhaven.

Houston Case went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and the Panthers took advantage of five Green Wave errors. The Panthers ended the game early after scoring 12 runs in the bottom of the third inning.

In the second game, the Green Wave could not hold on to a six-run lead to North Pike as the Jaguars rallied for a 9-7 win. Cathedral scored six runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 7-1 lead, which they held until the fifth inning. Austin Chauvin went 2-for-4 to lead the Green Wave.

North Pike got back in the game with five runs in the top of the fifth and took the lead for good with a two-run rally in the top of the sixth. The Jaguars added one more run in the top of the seventh. Anthony Durr was 2-for-5, Will Richardson had a double and North Pike was aided by four Green Wave errors.

Cathedral (5-6, 1-1) hosts Bogue Chitto Tuesday with the junior varsity game at 5 p.m. and the varsity game at 7 p.m.

Natchez High drops two to Lanier

NATCHEZ — The tough season for Natchez High and first-year head coach Skip Golding continued Saturday at Chester Willis Field as the host Bulldogs lost two tight contests to the visiting Lanier Bulldogs from Jackson.

In his first start on the mound this season, Natchez High’s Davion Ward had trouble finding the strike zone in game 1. He walked five batters and hit three batters. Five of Lanier’s six runs were unearned, and Lanier won the game 6-4.

In the second game, Lanier rallied from a early deficit to escape with the 7-6 victory thanks to some miscues by Natchez High.

“We were up 5-0 in the third inning. We made a couple of errors in the outfield,” Golding said. “We’re not playing very good baseball. I guess it’s my fault. I’ll take the blame for this one. I just got to figure out how to get them to play better.”

Natchez High (2-7) plays at Forest Hill at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Caldwell Parish 19, Block 2

JONESVILLE — The Block Bears were hammered by the Caldwell Parish Spartans 19-2 in five innings Saturday afternoon.

Block (4-11) plays at Harrisonburg at 4 p.m. Tuesday.