YSE File Photo
Despite six defensive errors and six issued walks, the Trigg County High School baseball team took advantage of a massive third inning and won for the third time in its past four games Monday, defeating host Livingston Central 8-5.
With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the third inning, the Wildcats put its first seven hitters on base to start the frame and used four straight run-scoring hits to create plenty of separation on the road. Matthew Leeper got the game-winning RBI with a single that started the streak; Kaiden McCormick’s RBI double capped it and gave Trigg a 6-1 advantage.
The Cardinals answered briefly in the bottom half of the third, cutting the TCHS lead to 6-3 on Drew Hosick’s one-out RBI single, but that’s as close as Livingston (2-10) would get the rest of the way.
Aidon Butts, who finished 3-for-3 with a run and one of three Wildcat doubles, provided an insurance run in the fourth with a two-bagger that brought home Chase Hampton. Jacob Wease (2-for-3) added one of his own with an RBI single in the fifth that plated AJarrious Bell and put the ‘Cats ahead 8-3.
Trigg County touched up Daniel Ramage for four hits and six runs, handing him his first loss of the season. Ramage (0-1) walked four and struck out a pair in 2 2/3 innings. Luke Vinson gave up seven hits and two runs in 4 1/3 innings of relief. The Cards got singles from seven different players at the plate.
The top of the TCHS order — Leeper, Hampton and Butts — combined to go 6-of-10 with five runs, three RBI, two walks and four stolen bases.
Haydon Reynolds (1-0) earned his first win of the season following his two-inning start. He scattered four hits, struck out three and allowed one unearned run. Austin Stewart overcame five walks and four runs (two earned) by striking out four in four innings of relief. Lance Breckel threw a 1-2-3 inning in the seventh to pick up the save.
Back over .500 for the season, the Wildcats (8-7) will aim for the win column again at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Murray High. The Tigers defeated Carlisle County 10-1 on April 14 but have lost four of their last five games overall.
