On a day when pitchers mostly made things tough on hitters, Caldwell County scratched out four runs in the first inning and held on for a 4-2 triumph Friday at previously-unbeaten Lyon County.
Lyon, the defending 2nd Region champion and ranked No. 11 in the state in the latest PBA Kentucky/KHSBCA Power 25, had opened the season with seven straight wins.
Caldwell, meanwhile, had won four of its last five games — the only loss to No. 7 Paducah Tilghman — after starting the season 0-2.
The Tigers jumped on Lyon starter Jackson Shoulders for four runs in the top of the first.
Caldwell’s first four hitters all recorded base hits — and all eventually scored runs.
Carter Whittington opened the game with a double, then Logan Smiley reached on a bunt single.
A single to right by Deontaye Walls scored Whittington with the first run of the day.
Brady Holeman singled to right to load the bases. Cole Slone was then hit by a pitch, forcing in a run to make it 2-0.
Walls scored when Hunter Newsom grounded into a fielder’s choice at short.
A sacrifice fly to center by Jamus Carneyhan brought in Holeman to to stake the Tigers to a 4-0 lead.
Caldwell hurler Ben Goodaker would make that stand up, giving up only a pair of unearned runs in the home half of the third inning.
Austin Spears doubled home both runs with two outs. That plated John Bingham, who reached on an error to start the frame, and courtesy runner Peyton Williams, who was on base after Shoulders walked.
Goodaker (3-0) went six innings, allowing just three hits. He struck out five and walked three before getting help from Walls in the seventh inning.
An error and a single put two runners on base for Lyon with just one out. But Walls got a pop-up to second for the second out before striking out the next batter to end the game and nail down the save.
Smiley was 2-for-4 for Caldwell, which outhit Lyon 6-4.
Brody Williams was 2-for-4 for Lyon.
Shoulders went the distance on the mound for the Lyons. He blanked Caldwell on two base hits over the final six innings. Shoulders finished with five strikeouts and just one walk.
Lyon visits Henderson County on Saturday.
Caldwell is off until April 11 when it hosts Heritage Christian Academy in a first round game in the 2nd Region All A Classic.
