“We’re playing a little better; the kids are having fun again,” said Red Raider head coach Charlie Griffeth. “Better defense is where it all started.”
Griffeth noted that his team’s starting pitching has been good, but the bats have been pretty cold. His staff’s earned run average is under 3.00, but the team batting average is just over .200.
The Red Raiders are off until Friday when they host Cedar Shoals. Madison County will then host Apalachee Monday, before visiting Apalachee Wednesday. All games are at 5:55 p.m.
Here’s a recap of last week’s action:
MADISON CO. 4, DULUTH 0
The Raiders picked up their second win of the season by defeating the visiting Duluth Wildcats 4-0 on a perfect Saturday afternoon in Danielsville.
Brock Turner picked up the win for Madison County with an outstanding outing of six innings of work on the hill. Turner struck out nine batters and allowed just two walks, while surrendering four hits.
Madison County managed just two hits in the contest both coming off the bat of Daniel Townsend. The Duluth squad proved to be their own enemy in the field by committing three costly errors. Leadoff hitter Will McCarty reached on the Wildcats’ first error of the day and ended up getting a free pass home after Townsend lifted a home run over the left field fence in the home half of the first inning. Duluth’s errors weren’t the only downfall in the loss for the Wildcats. After putting runners in scoring position six times during the game the Wildcats were unable to connect on a key hit each time. Duluth put a runner on third base with no outs in the fourth inning, but Brock Turner struck out the side to end the inning. Turner halted another Wildcat threat in the sixth inning by pitching his way out of trouble, leaving runners stranded at first and second.
The Raiders added another run in the home half of the fifth inning to extend the lead to 3-0. Turner reached base to open the inning on another Duluth error. Wesley Johnson entered the game to run for Turner. Johnson moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Josh Dalton and ended up at third on Duluth’s second error of the inning. Johnson ended up crossing home on a wild pitch.
The Raiders had a perfect opportunity to break the game wide open in their half of the sixth inning after Bo Hardman, Daniel Brooks, and Turner all reached on walks to load the sacks. Josh Dalton added to the walk-a-thon by drawing the fourth consecutive free pass to force home Hardman for the Raiders’ final run of the game. Madison County was unable to do any further damage and ended up leaving the bases loaded but their four runs proved to be enough. Lee Griffeth entered the game in relief of Turner for the final inning and set down all three men he faced on strikeouts.
Daniel Townsend had the Raiders’ only two hits of the game with the first inning homerun and a single to right in the sixth inning. Duluth stranded a total of six runners on the day.
MADISON COUNTY 11, MONROE 1
The Madison County Raider baseball team posted its first win of the 2012 season by defeating Monroe 11-1 at home Thursday night. The Hurricanes from Monroe were all but a strong storm as Hayden Frey took care of business by pitching the entire run ruled five innings, allowing one run on just two hits while striking out five batters. Frey did the damage at the plate for the Raiders with a triple and double knocking in three runs on the night.
Madison County, who scored in every inning but the first, jumped on top with two runs in the second inning. Bo Hardman and Daniel Brooks led off the inning with back-to-back hits and both ended up crossing home after Monroe’s third baseman committed a throwing error. Josh Dalton bounced a grounder to third and in an attempt to catch Hardman trying to score the throw sailed past the catcher and on the same play Brooks crossed home for the 2-0 lead.
Madison County threatened to do more damage in the inning but back-to-back strikeouts left runners stranded in scoring position.
The Raiders added three more runs in the bottom half of the third frame. Daniel Townsend singled to left and ended up scoring on a hit off the bat of Brooks. Both Hardman, who walked and Brooks gave Madison County a 5-0 lead by scoring on a double to left field by Brock Turner.
Monroe staged a threat in the top of the fourth inning after Hayden Frey walked the bases loaded with no outs. The Hurricanes pushed across their only run of the night when Frey brushed a Monroe batter with an inside pitch to force home the bases loaded run.
Frey answered back in the bottom of the inning by driving home the Raiders’ sixth run of the night on a triple to right field. Madison County then put the lights out on Monroe with a five-run fifth highlighted by Frey again who doubled home both Zeke Smallwood and Daniel Townsend to end the game in the run rule. Prior to Frey’s double, Smallwood drove home three runs of his own in the inning with a double.
Daniel Townsend, Frey, and Daniel Brooks all had two hits each for Madison County followed by a hit each from Hardman, Turner, and Smallwood.
