Choctaws take Game 1, fall in extras in Game 2 of Sectional Series

 

Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

Dyer County travelled down to Munford on Wednesday afternoon and, following two games and 18 innings of baseball, it’s going to take one more game for someone to punch their ticket to the Class 3A State Tournament next week as the Choctaws split the first two games of the TSSAA Class 3A Sectional Series.

Game 1: Dyer County 3, Munford 0

The Choctaws took the lead in the sectional series on Wednesday, scoring three times in the second inning then making the lead stand the rest of the way behind a one-hit effort from senior right hander Landon Willis to take Game 1.

After a scoreless first inning, the Choctaws bats went to work in the top of the second inning. Jake Gentry led off the inning with a single and Landon Daniels followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position. Weston Sims singled in a run then Easton Ozment grounded out on a bunt to score another run. Trey Starnes followed with an RBI single to put Dyer County on top 3-0 after an inning and a half.

Willis worked around a hit batter with two outs to get a lineout to end the second frame with a three-run lead.

Though the Choctaws were unable to string hits together through the next three innings, Willis and the Dyer County defense retired the next nine batters in a row to send the game into the sixth with the orange and white still leading by three runs.

A Scheidt single to lead off the bottom of the sixth broke up Willis’ no-hit bid but the hurler and the defense recovered with a strikeout, a fly out and a ground out to send the game into the seventh.

After Munford worked around a one-out single from Starnes in the top of the seventh, Willis and the Choctaw defense got a pair of fly outs and a ground out to secure the win in game one.

Willis went the distance on the mound for the Choctaws, striking out seven batters and facing only two over the minimum in the one-hitter.

Gentry and Starnes each had a pair of singles for the Choctaws in the win.

Game 2: Munford 4, Dyer County 3, 11 innings

The two teams scored three runs each over the first two innings then nothing but zeroes filled the scoreboard until a two-out Yount single to drive in the eventual winning run and even the series to one game each.

The Cougars rallied with one out in the top of the first, getting a single from Fortner then an RBI single by Lowry to push across a run. A fly out and a walk followed before Greenland singled in a run to extend the Munford lead to 3-0 after a half inning.

With two out in the bottom of the frame, Dyer County began to crawl back into it as Talon Messer homered to left to cut the Munford lead to 3-1 after one inning.

Dyer County got a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the second then pulled even in the bottom of the frame. Gentry walked then Daniels was hit by a pitch to put two on for the Choctaws. Easton Ozment singled to bring in a run then Starnes hit a groundball to first and beat the Cougar first baseman to the bag while Ozment scored to tie the game at 3-3. Smith singled but a groundout ended the frame with the score still tied at 3-3.

From there, the defenses took over. Dyer County retired 12 of the next 13 Munford batters over the next four innings. But, in the same timeframe, the Choctaws got only three hits (two from Weston Sims) and none were in the same inning as the game went into the seventh inning still tied at three runs each.

Munford was able to get a pair of runners on with two out in the seventh inning but a fly out ended the Cougar threat with the game still tied.

In the bottom of the frame, Smith led off with a single then moved to second on a David Headtke sacrifice bunt and Messer was intentionally walked. But, a strikeout and a ground out ended the Dyer County threat and sent the game into extra innings.

The Choctaws and pitcher Jake Stanley retired six of the seven batters faced in the eighth and ninth but Dyer County managed only a Smith single and a Messer walk in the ninth as the game remained tied through nine innings.

Things got interesting in the top of the tenth as a pair of two out walks and a balk put runners at second and third. Dyer County Head Coach Derek Hinson elected to put Lowry on to create a force at every base before a Wright groundout ended the frame with a Headtke scoop at the bag saving a pair of runs and keeping the game tied.

After the Cougar defense worked around a two-out walk to get out of the tenth, Munford looked to pull ahead in the 11^th. With one out, a pair of walks and a balk put runners on for Munford. But, Stanley got the next batter to strikeout and looked to get out of the inning before a Yount single up the middle scored a run and put Munford on top while chasing the Choctaw reliever from the game. Dyer County handed the ball to Easton Ozment who faced one batter, using four pitches to get the inning-ending strikeout. But the damage was done as Munford took its 4-3 lead into the bottom of the 11^th.

With one out, Dyer County looked to rally as Smith collected his fourth hit of the game, a double to left-center. But, a liner into a shifted infield lead to an unassisted double play by Wright to end the game and seal the series-tying win for the Cougars.

Stanley allowed only one run on one hit in 3.2 innings of work while striking out seven in relief to take the loss.

Smith had a double and three singles to lead the Choctaws at the plate while Sims added a pair of singles. Messer was 1-for-2 at the plate with a home run and three walks.

With Game 2 ending just after 10:40 on Wednesday night, both teams will return to action on Thursday when the Choctaws and Cougars meet at Munford at 4:30 p.m. in Game 3 with a spot in next week’s TSSAA Class 3A State Tournament on the line.

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