| Griffin Lyons has been in plenty of pressure situations this season. And he has never backed away from any of those challenges. “I’m used to it at this point,” the junior right-hander said. In the biggest moment, he came up big again. Lyons struck out Scott County’s James Wilson with two runners on to preserve a 4-3 win for #15 Madison Central on Monday in the opening round of the 11th Region Tournament in Richmond. |  |
The Indians (26-9) move to the semifinals and will face Lexington Catholic (27-9) today at Don Richardson Field. Game time is set for 6 p.m. The other semifinal will feature Sayre and Great Crossing.
The Cardinals (20-16) scored twice in the seventh and had two runners on. They appeared to have taken the lead moments later Wilson looped a ball into right field, which just landed foul by a few feet.
“We always say baseball is a game of inches,” Central coach Steve Roof said. “It definitely is.”
On the next pitch, Lyons got a swinging strikeout to end the game and send the Indians back into the region semifinals for the fifth-straight season.
“It was great game,” Roof said. “We knew they were going to fight for seven innings.”
Central took a 2-0 lead in the first on a double by Gunnar Rhodus to right field. Keith Stewart later added an RBI double as the Indians took a four-run lead.
Scott County got a run in the fifth and then knocked Central starter Sam Coleman out of the game in the seventh inning. The sophomore went 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and four walks with five strikeouts. He threw 115 pitches.
“Getting the ‘W’ is all that matters,” Coleman said.
Lyons walked the first batter he faced, but got the final out to secure his third save of the season.
Parker Mullins was 1-for-3 and scored twice. Daniel Bauer was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Nick Pietromonaco was 1-for-3 with a walk, while Eli Metcalfe and Druw Hess were both 1-for-3.
Lexington Catholic and Central met once in the regular season, with the Knights coming up with an 8-5 win on April 25 in Lexington.
By: Nathan Hutchinson
The Cardinals (20-16) scored twice in the seventh and had two runners on. They appeared to have taken the lead moments later Wilson looped a ball into right field, which just landed foul by a few feet.
“We always say baseball is a game of inches,” Central coach Steve Roof said. “It definitely is.”
On the next pitch, Lyons got a swinging strikeout to end the game and send the Indians back into the region semifinals for the fifth-straight season.
“It was great game,” Roof said. “We knew they were going to fight for seven innings.”
Central took a 2-0 lead in the first on a double by Gunnar Rhodus to right field. Keith Stewart later added an RBI double as the Indians took a four-run lead.
Scott County got a run in the fifth and then knocked Central starter Sam Coleman out of the game in the seventh inning. The sophomore went 6 2/3 innings, allowing seven hits, three runs and four walks with five strikeouts. He threw 115 pitches.
“Getting the ‘W’ is all that matters,” Coleman said.
Lyons walked the first batter he faced, but got the final out to secure his third save of the season.
Parker Mullins was 1-for-3 and scored twice. Daniel Bauer was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Nick Pietromonaco was 1-for-3 with a walk, while Eli Metcalfe and Druw Hess were both 1-for-3.
Lexington Catholic and Central met once in the regular season, with the Knights coming up with an 8-5 win on April 25 in Lexington.
By: Nathan Hutchinson
