Pulaski earns season sweep of Warriors
Apr. 29—For the second time this season, the Pulaski County Maroons and Southwestern Warriors squared off on the baseball diamond, with the contest earlier in the season being a 7-4 win for Pulaski. Both teams were turning the corner however and playing their best ball of the season, with both riding a four-game winning streak. This was also the Breast Cancer Awareness game, with both teams taking part in a ceremony before the first pitch. Someone's streak had to end though and after doing all of their scoring in the first two innings, it was the Maroons victorious in a low-scoring affair 4-2.
Carter Ross struck out two batters to begin play in the top of first, before a single from Jonah Brock gave the Warriors a man on base with two out. A line drive was caught for the third out, ending the scoring opportunity. Chance Todd led off the bottom of the first, with Wyatt Morgan on the mound, and was able to reach safely after an error by the third baseman. Two straight outs brought the Maroons down to their final out of the frame, with Mason Acton drawing a walk to put runners on the corners. A Jacob Todd double brought home the first run of the contest and despite Acton soon being caught stealing home, the Maroons struck first and now led 1-0.
Jayden Taylor drew a one-out walk in the second before the Maroons were quickly able to sit down the next two batters, including Ross ringing up another strikeout. Braden Hampton and Wessen Falin both were walked to start the bottom of the inning, with Ross laying down a sacrifice bunt to advance both into scoring position. An RBI single from Keegan Measel brought home Hampton on a fly ball to right field. An error during the next at-bat allowed another run to score. A Chase Farmer single in the infield scored yet another, with Pulaski now being on top 4-0 after just two innings of play.
Ross made short work of the Warriors in the top of the third, striking out the side on 16 pitches. Pulaski couldn't get much going in their half, although Jacob Todd struck another double to get on base with one out.
With one away in the fourth, Pierce Jasper was able to single on a ground ball to center field to give the Warriors a chance to score. A fielder's choice allowed Morgan to replace Jasper on first, but there were now two outs. Taylor was walked to give Southwestern their best chance to score yet and they did just that, as Michael Miller singled on a fly ball to center to score the first Warrior run. A fly out brought the half-inning to a close, but Southwestern now trailed 4-1. Ross was able to lead off the bottom of the frame with a single, but three straight outs retired the side, including a Morgan strikeout.
Ross struck another batter out to start the fifth, before Jackson Couch was able to make it to base safely following a walk. Another strikeout followed and the next batter flew out to retire the side. Bryce Cowell was able to lead off the bottom of the fifth with his own single, with Acton able to reach safely after a fielder's choice. A double play turned by Taylor at third brought the frame to a close.
Jasper was able to single in the infield to start play in the sixth. A fielder's choice again replaced Jasper on first with Morgan. Taylor was walked as the Maroons switched pitchers to Measel. Miller hit another single to load up the bases for Southwestern with just one out. Daniel Case drew a walk to score the second run of the game for the Warriors. The next two batters were out in short fashion to get Pulaski out of the jam, with the Maroons now leading 4-2.
Morgan struck out the first batter he faced in the bottom of the sixth before a ground out put the Maroons down to their final man at the plate. A Ross double to center put another Pulaski player in scoring position, but he was left stranded after a ground out to Jayce Gager at shortstop.
Southwestern was down to their final three outs in the top of the seventh, with Chance Todd coming in to close the game. Todd was able to strike out the first batter he faced, but a Brock double brought the game-tying run to the plate for the Warriors. An error by the second baseman allowed Jasper to reach safely and put runners on the corners, with the now go-ahead run coming up to bat. A line out put the Warriors down to their final out before a three-pitch strikeout by Chance Todd closed out the game with style, as the Maroons were victorious 4-2.
The Maroons were led by one RBI apiece from Farmer, Measel and Jacob Todd, with Cowell and Ross also adding hits. Farmer and Measel each added a stolen base. Ross had the win on the mound, going five and one-third innings while allowing two runs on four hits with four walks and eight strikeouts. Measel pitched two-thirds of an inning and allowed just one hit with a walk. Chance Todd earned the save, pitching the final inning and allowing just one hit with two strikeouts.
The Warriors had an RBI apiece from Miller and Case, with Jasper and Brock each leading with two hits. Morgan earned the loss on the mound, going six innings and allowing four runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
Pulaski improves to 12-6 and will be back on the diamond on Tuesday as they host the Wayne County Cardinals at 6 p.m.
Southwestern falls to 8-14 and will next square off with Somerset at home on Monday, before traveling to McCreary Central for a district contest on Wednesday.
