Lyon County got a two-run home run from Jackson Shoulders and nipped Caldwell County 4-3 Saturday in the semifinal round of the 2nd Region All A Classic.
The Lyons (12-2) advance to the tournament final against either Crittenden County or University Heights Academy. Those two teams are expected to play Monday night in the other semifinal.
Freshman Eli Baker struck out 10 in a complete-game performance on the mound in Lyon’s win over Caldwell at Lee S. Jones Park in Eddyville.
Baker allowed three earned runs on six base hits while walking one in what was the 121st meeting all-time between the two rivals.
Caldwell (6-4) also got solid pitching, with starter Deontaye Walls allowing four earned runs on six hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out three and walked three. Cole Slone blanked Lyon on one base hit in 1.1 innings of work.
Caldwell took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Carter Whittington doubled just inside the right-field line and went to third on a bunt single by Logan Smiley. Whittington came in to score on a double-play ball.
Lyon tied things in the second. John Bingham started the inning with an infield single. He was bunted to second and took third on a groundout. A balk allowed Bingham to come in with the tying run.
The Lyons grabbed the lead in the third. Gunnar Bingham singled to center leading off. One out later, Jackson Shoulders blasted a long shot into the wind over the left-field fence for a two-run home run. Shoulders was swinging on a 3-0 pitch, and it paid off for Lyon.
Caldwell got one run back in the top of the fourth. Logan Smiley led off with a double, then Walls singled on a bad-hop ball to second. Brady Holeman drove in a run when he grounded into a fielder’s choice at short. That cut the Lyon lead to 3-2.
The Lyons picked up a big insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning on a two-out base hit. Turner Hurst singled into center to bring in courtesy runner Aiden Waters and make it a 4-2 ballgame.
Caldwell threatened again in the sixth when a walk by Smiley and a single by Holeman put two on with one out. Slone’s groundout to second brought in one run to trim the margin to 4-3. But a strikeout left the potential tying run stranded at third.
In the top of the seventh, Baker retired Caldwell in order to nail down the Lyon victory.
Shoulders was the only player in the game with more than one base hit, going 2-for-3 with the homer and two RBIs.
Lyon has taken four of the last five meetings with Caldwell, but the Tigers still hold a 90-31 advantage all-time.
The Lyons advance to the All A Classic regional final, with a date and site still to be determined.
The next game on the Lyon schedule is a regular-season home date with Union County on Monday.
Caldwell is scheduled to visit Ballard Memorial on Monday.
