Junior Austin Spears hit a pair of home runs, the bullpen combined for six shutout innings, and the Lyon County High School baseball team won its 13th straight game by defeating host Livingston Central, 12-3, Monday in Smithland.
The Lyons, who moved up three spots to No. 16 in this week’s Prep Baseball Report statewide rankings, scored at least one run in all seven innings and overcame a first-inning burst by the Cardinals to move to 8-2 in their 10 games against 2nd Region opponents this season.
After the teams each scored three runs during an active opening inning, the Lyons eventually took the lead for good when Peyton Williams doubled and came all the way around to score on a two-base error by Livingston. Williams finished a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate — all doubles — and was one of two Lyons to reach a trio of hits in the contest.
Leading hitter Brady Belt was the other Lyon to accomplish the feat. The junior continued his big season Monday, going 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBI and three stolen bases. His run-scoring single in the top of the fourth inning gave his squad a 6-3 advantage. Belt now has 21 hits in 56 at-bats in 2024.
Then, in the fifth inning, Spears took over. His solo homer led off the frame to put the Cardinals in a 7-3 hole. In the sixth, following singles by Belt and John Bingham, Spears launched a three-run bomb to put Lyon County in complete control. He ended the night with three runs and four RBI, and is now alone at third for most total HRs (six) in the state.
The Lyons finished with 14 total hits. Eli Baker had a pair of them atop the LCHS order — both doubles — giving him a team-best 10 two-baggers this season. Baker’s RBI double in the seventh rounded out the scoring. Eight of the nine Lyons to come to bat recorded a hit.
On the mound, after starting pitcher Drew Richie went just one inning, the trio of of Hudson Phillips, Korben Lucas and Bingham kept the Cardinals at bay. Livingston took advantage of three walks and a Drew Barrow RBI single to tie the game at 3-all in the bottom of the first inning, but that’s as close as they’d get.
Phillips (2-0) earned the win. He allowed just two base runners, via walk and hit by pitch, during his three innings, but struck out two to secure the victory. Lucas struck out a pair in his hitless inning. Bingham gave up just one hit during his two innings to close it out.
Avery Zaim (1-1) went six innings for Livingston Central. He struck out two, walked four and allowed a dozen of the 14 Lyon hits. Barrow pitched the final Cardinal inning in relief, allowing two hits and one run. Livingston has now dropped nine of its last 11 games. The Cards (8-13) had won two in a row prior to Monday’s matchup against the state-ranked Lyons.
Lyon County (13-4) will now turn its attention to the All “A” Classic state tournament, beginning Saturday at Eastern Kentucky University. The Lyons will face Wolfe County (11-4) in the first round at 3 p.m. It will be the Lyons’ first state tourney appearance since falling to eventual champion Pikeville in the semifinals of the 2022 All “A” Classic.
