Trigg County’s Aidon Butts posted 11 strikeouts over five innings to lead the Wildcats to an 8-3 victory over Crittenden County on Wednesday, the Rockets’ first loss of the season. Crittenden entered the contest at 5-0, however, the four opponents have combined for only one win.
A pair of singles and a walk were the only baserunners Butts allowed over the first three frames, and the Wildcats provided some run support in the bottom of the third. After a Rocket error to start the inning, Chase Hampton singled to drive in a run, and two more runners crossed the plate on a hit-by-pitch and a walk with the bases loaded.
After a leadoff double in the fourth by Chase Conyer, the Rockets got on the scoreboard with help from a Trigg error, but the Wildcats were quick to answer in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded with one out, two walks, an error, and a hit by pitch stretched the lead to 7-1.
Crittenden appeared to be in business after a hit-by-pitch and a walk to start the top of the fifth, but Butts limited the damage to a single run with three strikeouts before handing off to Haydon Reynolds to start the sixth.
Down to their last at-bat, the Rockets got their leadoff batter on thanks to Trigg’s third error of the game, and Conyer followed with a single to cut the Wildcat lead to five. But Reynolds shut the door with three of his six strikeouts, taking Trigg’s total to 17 for the game.
Reynolds gave up one unearned run on a single hit with six strikeouts and no walks, and was the lone Wildcat with a pair of hits. Jon Humphries and Nathan Simmons each had two RBI, and four other Wildcats drove in a run.
Trigg County improved to 3-2 ahead of a matchup with Fort Campbell on Thursday. The Wildcats will be looking to add to a 14-game win streak in the series dating back to the 2006 season.
Conyer and Jaxton Duncan led the Rockets with two hits and an RBI each. Asa McCord took the loss on the mound, surrendering three unearned runs on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts over two and a third.
Crittenden County will be back on the road on Thursday to face Livingston Central in search of its first district victory.
