BASEBALL: Madison County clinches region opening series with St. Pius X

The best quality of the 2018 Madison County baseball team is their ability to comeback from any kind of deficit to make a game competitive in the final innings. Last week, they rallied from a four-run deficit at Gainesville and lost 6-5, and they overcame a six-run hole against South Paulding and settled for a 6-5 loss.

Tuesday’s game was par for the course as St. Pius held a 2-0 lead after four innings. In those four innings, the Red Raiders only had three base runners and one hit. St. Pius scored one run each in the second and fourth innings.

Their first run came on a sacrifice fly with bases loaded. But Holton McGaha prohibited the two runners in scoring position from doing any more damage by striking out the last batter. In the third, a walk and a single put runners at the corners and another single scored a runner from first base. The next batter singled on a bunt to load the bases. But McGaha again struck out a batter for a third out before St. Pius X could tack on any more runs. McGaha ended the game with nine strikeouts.

The Raiders offense woke up in the top of the fifth with three-straight singles. Noah McFarlin began the comeback with a single on a fly ball to center field. He then stole second and advanced to third when brother Mason McFarlin hit a line drive to center field. Grant Miller tried to bring home a run with a bunt, but he couldn’t get one across. However, he arrived at first base safety to load the bases. Adam Echols then watched four-straight balls to walk in a run. But the Raiders stranded three base runners after three-straight outs.

McGaha started the fifth inning and struck out two batters, but Austin Baddeley took over with a runner at first and he got the last out. Madison County tied the game in the sixth inning with a double to center field by Mason McFarlin. Joe Lukas scored after reaching on an error.

Grant Miller took the mound in the bottom of the sixth and he shut down Golden Lions. The Red Raiders finally took the lead in the seventh inning. Echols started by singling on a ground ball to the shortstop. He stole second and ran to third on a sacrifice fly, before running home on a single by Tristen Turner. Josh Cotton drew a walk and Logan Brown advanced both runners to scoring position. Turner then scored on an error by the first baseman.

Madison County then led 4-2 and Miller retired the side on just eight pitches in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.

Miller also led the Raiders at the plate with two hits on three at-bats. Mason McFarlin also had two outs, he added one RBI. Miller, Baddeley and McGaha combined to throw 10 strikeouts and only allowed six hits.

GRANT MILLER’S WALK-OFF SINGLE CLINCHES SERIES WITH ST. PIUS X

Madison County and St. Pius traded the lead four times, but the Red Raiders led at the end to win their second game over the Golden Lions.

St. Pius gave Josh Cotton all he could handle by putting five runs on him, but the offense provided plenty of run support to get the victory. He was solid in the first inning, but he threw a wild pitch with bases loaded to let one run score in the second. A sac-fly brought in a second run to give the Lions a 2-0 advantage. Cotton was much better in the third inning with a pair of strikeouts and only one runner on base.

That set the tone for the bottom of the third where Madison County scored three runs. Turner, Cotton and Brown each walked to load the bases, but the rally was in doubt when Joe Lukas hit into a double play where Turner was thrown out at home. Noah McFarlin got the inning back on track by making solid contact the second baseman who committed an error that allowed McGaha and Brown to score. Madison County took the lead on a single Mason McFarlin, which Noah scored on to make the score 3-2.

St. Pius took back the lead in the top of the fourth with a single and a double coming back-to-back with one out after St. Pius got two players on base. The score was then 5-3 in favor of St. Pius. The Red Raiders cut the lead to 5-4 with a sacrifice hit by Cotton to bring home Colby Smith. Cotton stayed on the mound in the fifth and pitched his best inning of the day by retiring three-straight batters.

Baddeley took over in the sixth and shut down the side despite walking a pair of batters. He was just as solid in the top of the seventh where. Madison County worked their late-game magic again in the bottom of the seventh. Brown reached on an error to start the inning. Garret Dowell and Noah McFarlin both singled on bunts to load the bases. A fielder’s choice by Mason McFarlin brought home Brown to tie the game and put runners at the corners. Miller then crushed a ball to center field to bring home Dowell for the winning run.

That hit was Miller’s only hit of the game. He finished 1-of-3 with one RBI and one walk. Mason McFarlin was the only Raiders with a multi-hit game. He was 2-of-4 with two RBI’s. Cotton supplied the other RBI. St. Pius scored five runs on Cotton, but only two were earned. He allowed six hits and struck out five batters. Baddeley finished with four strikeouts in two innings of work.

UPCOMING GAMES

Madison County vs. St. Pius X – Friday, 5:55 p.m. – Madison County High School

Madison County vs. North Oconee – Monday, 5:55 p.m. – Madison County High School

Madison County at North Oconee – Wednesday, 5:55 p.m. – North Oconee High School