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Led by strong hitting, pitching and fielding, the Parry Mc-Cluer High School baseball team captured dominant home wins to advance to the Pioneer District finals, defeating Covington 13-2 on Tuesday of last week before cruising to a 24-1 win over Highland County on Thursday. Both games ended in five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.
The second-seeded Fighting Blues (8-4 district), who improved to 13-7 overall, were scheduled to play at top seed Narrows in the district championship game on Monday evening. (See separate story for result.)
In the quarterfinals, the Blues beat seventh-seeded Covington (4-18 o verall, 2-10 d istrict), a team PM had swept during the regular season. Previously, PM beat the Cougars 14-0 in five innings on March 30 in Buena Vista and won at Covington 7-1 on April 25.
In last Tuesday’s game, Covington took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Blues would do all the scoring after that. Covington’s Luke Conner singled on a fly ball to left field to bring home Hayden Rodgers, and Conner scored on a grounder to right field by Tanner Hoke.
PM cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the second when Braedyn Houck singled on a grounder to right field to drive in Jase Barger, who was making his first appearance for the Blues since he was injured in late April.
In the second, the Blues loaded the bases and then tied the game 2-2 when Barger walked to bring home Tanner Coleman. It was the first of five runs in the inning for PM. Peyton Ramsey walked to drive in Aaron Pruett, and Houck walked to bring in Maison Hamilton. Tyler Wade then singled on a grounder to drive in Barger and Ramsey, extending PM’s lead to 6-2.
The Blues stretched their lead to 8-2 in the third when Barger hit a two-run home run on a fly ball to left field, bringing home Cole Mills.
PM scored its final five runs in the fourth to put the game away. Coleman singled on a grounder to drive in Houck, Wade scored on an error. Brayden Holdren then singled on a grounder to bring home Coleman, making it 11-2. Pruett then stole home, and Hamilton scored the Blues’ final run by running home on a wild pitch.
The game ended just before a rainstorm rolled in.
The Blues recorded seven hits against Covington pitchers Trey Cook and Landon Arritt, while the Cougars had five hits. Barger led PM with two hits and three RBIs, and he scored three runs. Houck and Wade each had a hit and two RBIs.
Pleased with his team’s improved offense, PM head coach Bryan Loy said, “The hitting has really come alive for us.”
Ethan Martin paced Covington with two hits, while Rodgers, Conner and Hoke each added one hit.
Wade pitched the first 3.1 innings for the Blues, striking out three and allowing five hits, no walks and two earned runs. In the final 1.2 innings, Ramsey struck out two and surrendered no hits, one walk and no runs.
Covington committed two errors, while PM had one.
PM 24, Highland 1
In the semifinals, the Blues coasted to a 24-1 home win in five innings over third-seeded Highland County (10-11, 6-6) on Thursday evening.
The Blues erupted for 15 hits and led 12-0 after the first three innings before scoring 12 runs in the fourth inning. Highland’s lone run came in the fourth when Williams scored on a PM error.
PM and Highland had split the regular-season series, with the Rams winning 9-2 on April 3 at Highland and the Blues earning a 2-1 victory on May 11 at PM.
In Thursday’s game, the Blues took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, added six runs in the second, and tacked on four more runs in the third.
Houck recorded three hits and led PM with six RBIs, while Holdren added three hits and two RBIs. Producing two hits each for PM were Wade, Coleman and Mills.
Leading the Rams with two hits each were Williams and Michael Campbell.
Impressed by his team’s dominance at the plate, Loy said, “Our bats are coming alive at the right time of the season. I thought they were hot in the beginning, and then they kind of cooled off a little bit, but they’re starting to heat back up right when we want, playoff time.”
Houck pitched the first four innings for the Blues, striking out seven and allowing six hits, one walk and one earned run. Loy said Houck “had another solid outing for us.” Ramsey pitched the fifth inning for PM, surrendering no hits, no walks and no runs. Highland used five pitchers.
The Rams committed three errors, while the Blues had two.
Following Monday’s district championship game, the Blues will next play in the Region 1C tournament. For tournament updates, visit www.thenewsgazette. com.
