THOUGH not in a region or state playoff game, Jackson County found itself facing a juggernaut nonetheless to close the season.
The Panthers lost 4-0 to Class A no. 1-ranked Hebron Christian Academy (24-3) Saturday on the road in a non-region matchup to finish the year at 16-10.
Oregon State signee Mason Felt and Kennesaw State signee Jordan Hillyer combined for a four-hit shutout for the Lions as Jackson County ended the year with a two-game losing streak. The Panthers, who missed out on the Region 8-AA playoffs, did win eight of their last 10.
Felt, 6-2 lefthander who throws in the low 90s, pitched three perfect innings before giving way to Hillyer in the top of the fourth.
Jackson County’s Andy Williams broke up the Felt-Hillyer no-hit bid that inning with a single up the middle off Hillyer. Hillyer, however, closed with four shutout innings as the Lions – playing their final game before the Class A playoffs — won for the 10th time in a row.
Trey Sorrells, Chase Dunlap and Jesse Tallent accounted for Jackson County’s other hits.
Hebron scored twice in the third inning after both Lou Stephens and Hillyer grounded out to bring runners home from third.
The Lions didn’t score again until the bottom of the sixth when a passed ball scored Matthew Glisson from third and upped the lead to 3-0.
The fourth run came rather unconventionally.
With Hebron’s Nathan Holt standing at third, Sorrells — playing catcher — went to the mound to confer with Tallent, believing he had called time out. Holt then left third and scored. The home plate umpire said Sorrells never called timeout and awarded the run, much to the dismay of the Panthers, who believed that it was a dead-ball situation.
The Panthers, down four runs, tried to get something going late, putting two runners on in the top of the seventh. But Hillyer picked up a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.
Jackson County’s Hunter Poole threw three innings and took the loss, surrendering two runs off four hits. He walked three and struck out two.
Tallent closed the game out, throwing the final four frames. He gave up two runs and three hits while walking two and striking out two.
