By LEE HILLER, Journal Sports
The four local high school baseball teams moving forward into this weekend’s state quarterfinals came up with whatever was necessary to survive second-round postseason tests.
Benton got great pitching and committed one error to knock off No. 4 Dutchtown, 2-1 Friday and 3-0 Saturday on the road in a Non-Select Division I best-of-3 series.
Kade Bryant pitched a complete game three-hitter with three walks and eight strikeouts in the first game win. He also figured into the seventh-inning rally when the Tigers scored both of their runs. Bryson Pierce and Bryant walked with one out. Griffin Sibley followed a strikeout with a 2-run single to put the Tigers ahead 2-1.
In Game 2, Thomas Allen matched Bryant’s brilliance with a 3-hitter, with two walks and nine strikeouts. Benton (29-9) scored twice in the fourth inning. A fielding error allowed the Tigers first run to score and Hayden Millen was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score the second run. Bryant singled in the third run in the fifth bringing in Hudson Brignac. Five other Tigers had singles in the game.
Northwood defeated Byrd 3-2 on Friday and 10-4 Saturday to advance. Falcon pitcher Jack Carlisle and Yellow Jacket Julien Vinet were both sharp on the mound with complete games. Carlisle earned the win, allowing seven hits, two runs, one earned with seven strikeouts. Vinet allowed six hits, walked three and struck out three. The Falcons scored twice in the third inning to take a 3-2 lead. Hayden Phipps singled in Jaxon Bentzler for the first run and scored on an error for the second run.
Bentzler finished the opening game 2-for-3 and Hutson Hearron was 2-for-2 for Northwood. Hunter Koos had two hits for Byrd and an RBI.
The Yellow Jackets took a 3-1 lead into the fifth inning of Game 2 when the Falcons scored four times on a Bentzler grand slam and added five more in the seventh for insurance. Hearron had a 2-run double and Phipps singled in a run in the seventh. Tucker McCabe and Hearron both had a pair of hits for Northwood (28-6).
Ryan Lee hit a 2-run home run for Byrd (11-23) in the first inning, Koos doubled and later scored on an error. Lee finished 2-for-4 and Koos was 2-for-3.
Parkway fell to No. 6 Live Oak 8-4 and 10-3 on the road. Jax Thomson, Maddox Cockerham, Shawn Driggers, Kamron Blackshire, Cole Snell and Jackson Holmes all had hits for the Panthers in the first game loss. The Eagles led 6-0 after three innings when the Panthers scored once in the fourth and three times in the fifth inning to get within 6-4.
The Panthers scored three times in the fourth inning of Game 2 to take a 3-2 lead but the Eagles posted four runs in each the sixth and seventh innings. Abel Thetford had two of Parkway’s four hits.
Captain Shreve (27-10) scored an 11-3 second-game win only to lose the rubber match 3-0 Saturday to Acadiana (17-16-1) in Select Division I. Aron Gillum doubled, tripled and homered from his leadoff spot and Andrew Sharp was 2-for-3 with a triple and got the Gators’ win on the mound working five innings, allowing three runs, one earned. Carter Reynolds had three hits and four RBI, Jackson Gaskin singled and doubled, Denton Hester was 2-for-4 and Christopher Peyton 2-for-4 for the Gators who finished with 17 hits.
Calvary took both ends of a must-win doubleheader Friday night (6-0, 9-2) to knock out visiting Episcopal in Select Division III. Aubrey Hermes was 6-for-8 in the two games. Judson Funderburk allowed two hits over six innings in the first-game shutout while striking out eight. Funderburk was 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot in the Game 2 win. Landon Smith was nearly unhittable allowing two hits and struck out 12 in the complete game win.
Evangel surprised No. 4 Buckeye on the road in a series the Eagles wrapped up on Thursday.
Loyola (16-19) dropped both weekend games in Baton Rouge to No. 2 seed Parkview Baptist 8-1, 9-1. The Flyers were limited to three hits in each game, with Hayden Horton getting a hit in each game.