(By Don Meador, The Citizen-Times, Thursday, April 5, 2017, Used with permission)
The Allen County-Scottsville Patriots split games on the field last week and lost a pair of game to Mother Nature. AC-S dropped an 11-1 decision to district-rival Glasgow before bouncing back Friday with an 8-7 win at Greenwood. A game against Westmoreland last Thursday and Monday’s game against Boyle County at Fort Walton Beach Florida was canceled due to weather-related issues.
The Patriots fell to 1-1 in District 15 play last Wednesday with the lost to Glasgow. Once again, Scottie pitcher Dalton Shoemate overpowered the Patriot bats, holding AC-S to a pair of hits, striking out seven, and walking one in the five-inning win.
“We had two hits, one by Marcus Carter in the second and an infield single by Owen (Stamper) up the middle in the fourth,” coach Scott Stamper said. “Warren Bray hit two hard line drives. We left runners on in scoring position in the second. We had a great opportunity to put pressure on and Shoemake got a strike out to end the inning. We didn't play with any emotion. We allowed Glasgow to set the tone of the game. They got the timely hits and we didn't."
The Patriots’ lone run came in the second. Carter reached on a single. Owen Stamper bunted him over but the throw to first was low and not caught. Stamper was safe safe at first and Carter advanced to third. Tristan Brooks hit a ground ball to second basemen forcing out Stamper but Carter was able to score on the play.
Glasgow scored a run in the top of the first before the Patriots tied the game in the second. The Scotties took control the rest of the way. After pushing four runs across the plate in the third, a two-run home run in the fourth lifted Glasgow to a 7-1 lead. Glasgow plated four runs in the fifth to open a 10-run lead.
Friday, the Patriots bounced back with a eight-run, eight-hit win over Greenwood on a chilly Friday evening in Bowling Green. Two-hit days by Aaron Howell and Drew Meador helped the Patriots record their third win of the year.
The Patriots opened a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Sheldon Peay. An inning later, Drew Meador’s triple scored Peay and Brett Rippy, a play that staked the Pats to a 3-0 lead. The Patriots added four additional runs in the third to open a touchdown-length lead.
Peay reached on a two-out Greenwood error. Brooks followed with a walk. Howell ripped a double to left field to score Peay and Brooks. One batter later, Howell would score on a Meador double. Brett Rippy followed with a single, scoring Meador’s courtesy runner Zack Sowers and lifting AC-S to a comfortable 7-0 lead.
Greenwood added a run in the bottom of the inning and slowly began to chip away at the AC-S lead. A double and four singles highlighted a three-run fourth inning for the gators to pull the hosts to within three. AC-S added a run in the top of the sixth before Greenwood plated three runners in the bottom of the sixth to close to within one. However, solid relief work in the final inning by Owen Stamper shut the Gators down and allowed the Patriots to record the win.
Seth Davis earned the win for the Patriots on the hill. Davis threw 49 pitches in three innings of work, gave up four runs on five hits. Davis struck out one and walked two. Hunter Foster worked the middle of the game, throwing 47 pitches. Foster allowed three runs on five hits. Stamper worked an inning and a third to close out the game.
Offensively, Howell and Meador were a combined four of seven at the plate with each recording doubles in the game. Cayden Ross, Carter, Peay, Rippy, and Bray all had hits in the game.
AC-S (3-6) is in Fort Walton Beach this week for a series of games against Kentucky opponents. The team is scheduled to play Ohio County and Livingston Central Thursday and Friday before returning the Kentucky. Tuesday, AC-S will host Monroe County.