The ‘Baker’ was ‘cookin’ Friday night for the Lyon County Lyons. Eli Baker tossed a three-hit gem as the Lyons blanked Carlisle County 3-0 in the All A Classic baseball sectional round to advance to the state tournament next weekend in Richmond.
It will be the second trip to the quarterfinal round in the last three seasons for the Lyons. In 2022, the Lyons lost to eventual All A Classic champion Pikeville in the semifinals.
Baker did have to work out of some minor jams but the Comets really never threatened to put a run on the board. He got out of runners on first and second with one out in both the 1st and 3rd innings. In the 6th inning, the first two batters reached base for Carlisle County, but then Baker got a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to end the inning and the threat.
The Lyons got all the offense they would need in the bottom of the third inning. Eli Baker led off the inning with a single. John Bingham reached base with a one-out walk to give Lyon County runners at first and second. Austin Spears singled to drive in Baker and give the Lyons a 1-0 lead. Bingham would then score the second run of the inning on a ground out from Korben Lucas.
Lyon County added an insurance run in the bottom of the 4th inning on back-to-back doubles from Peyton Willliams and Drew Richie to extend the lead to 3-0.
The three runs would be more than enough for Eli Baker, who shut the door on the Comets and had the Lyons starting to make plans to head to Richmond next weekend.
Baker, Spears, Williams, and Richie had one hit each for the Lyons, who were held to just four hits in the game.
Caysen Mitchell, who was the starting pitcher for Carlisle County, finished 2-3 at the plate.
Eli Baker was exceptional on the mound for Lyon County. In addition to giving up just three hits, he struck out 11 and walked 2.
Caysen Mitchell took the loss for the Comets, going 4 innings, giving up three runs on four h its, striking out four and walking four.
The win was the 11th in a row for the Lyons, who opened the season by losing four straight. The Lyons advance to the All A quarterfinals next Saturday in Richmond at 3pm to take on either Harlan or Wolfe County. Those two teams will play Sunday afternoon at Wolfe County.
