Next week, the Red Raiders start off the week hosting neighboring 8-AA Jackson County Monday at 5:55 p.m. Between the teams, the Red Raiders are 4-0 with the last fight on the diamond going 9-1 in Madison County’s favor in 2008.
With the early games providing time for the boys to iron out wrinkles that might have formed since last season, head coach Charlie Griffeth is expecting to see a senior led team that is looking for wins.
“There are 11 seniors this year who are very determined to be successful,” Griffeth said. “We just have to continue to try to make the routine play, be around the plate on the mound and get hits with runners in scoring position.”
Already this season, Madison County has seen tough early opponents and are sure to see even tougher challengers as the team approaches the start of region play. Griffeth said that the Red Raiders are going to take a game at a time and look to get better with each opportunity on the diamond.
“We seen some good pitching in our scrimmage against Hebron and in the first three games,” he said. “We’ve got to take a game at a time and try to get better.”
In the first game of the 2011 season, Madison County earned the win over Monroe Area, 12-6.
Brock Turner earned the win on the mound without giving up any earned runs, pitching five innings for seven strikeouts and one walk, allowing two hits and two runs.
Madison County’s lineup was effective at the plate, with nearly double the hits. Red Raiders had 11 hits over Monroe Area’s six.
At the plate, Dylan Chandler led the charge with a single and a homer, picking up three RBIs. Also batting 2-3, Jarrett Seawright hit a single and double for two RBIs.
Haden Martin and Daniel Townsend tallied one RBI apiece, each hitting a single and a double. Kyle Dean batted for a double and an RBI. Turner hit a double. Steven Tiller added an RBI off a single.
In the Red Raider’s second game, the boys faced Elbert County, earning a 9-5 win over the Blue Devils.
Elbert County took an early lead, putting up four runs in the second inning. Madison County got on the board with a run in the third, then took the lead in the fourth inning scoring eight runs. The Blue Devils scored the last run of the game in the seventh in a failed comeback attempt.
Pitching relief for Aaron Benner, Chandler earned the win, pitching three innings giving up no runs and allowing only one hit with four strikeouts.
Chandler also led at the plate, batting 2-3 with two RBIs. Dean and Turner went 1-2 with Turner adding an RBI. Tiller and Martin batted 1-3, with Tiller adding three RBIs and Martin adding one RBI.
During Friday's home game with Hart County, Madison County earned a third consecutive win, 9-3.
Getting ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the second, Hart County responded with one run in the third. The Red Raiders added three runs in the third and the fourth. Hart County added a run in the fourth and in the seventh.
Madison County gave the bullpen and Hart County’s outfield a workout. Starting Matt Savage pitching for five innings, Alex Jordan came in during the sixth then Turner closed the game with three strikeouts.
Steven “Smiley” Tiller was smiling big in the second inning after a two RBI home run. Dean also hit a homer for an RBI. Chandler sent around two runners with his fourth inning home run.
Print the Red Raiders' season schedule here.
2011VarsityBaseballSchedule.pdf
