Caldwell County and host Lyon County battled back and forth over the first five innings Friday night, but the Tigers poured it on over the final two frames to pull away 17-6. The win is Caldwell’s eighth straight and runs its record to 12-2 on the year. The Lyons have lost their last two, both to Caldwell, to slip to 4-3.
The Tigers put 2 on the board in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly by senior Jase Ryan Felker and an RBI single from senior Shane Burns. However, County used two Tiger errors and a passed ball to move ahead 3-2 in its half of the inning.
A Felker double scored 2, and he came home on a single by senior Dylan Gray. After an RBI single by junior Easton Thompson gave the Tigers their largest lead at 6-3, the Lyons stormed back in the bottom of the fourth on the strength of an RBI double by senior Max Wadlington and a 2-run shot way over the left-field fence from junior Gabe Board.
Board, on in relief of Wadlington since the third inning, kept a lid on the Tiger attack until their half of the sixth. Junior Gabe East got things started with an RBI double, before senior Bryce Thomas drew a bases-loaded walk and junior Oliver Parker singled-in Felker and Gray to make it 10-6.
Lyon went quietly in their half of the sixth, before the Tigers put the game away with 7 runs in the top of the seventh, highlighted by an RBI single from East and a 2-run blast to center by Felker.
Felker had 5 RBI along with a couple of hits, followed by East at 4-5 with 3 RBI. Thomas collected three hits and Thompson had two, with each knocking-in a run. Parker had a hit and 2 RBI, sophomore Cody Holub brought in a run, and Gray had a hit and an RBI. Brown hit safely twice and earned the win on the mound, going 5.0 innings and allowing seven hits and 6 runs, 3 earned, with two strikeouts and two walks. Thomas pitched two innings of shutout ball, yielding one hit with three strikeouts and two walks.
Board took the loss for the Lyons, working 3.2 innings and giving up three hits and 4 runs with a strikeout and four walks. Wadlington was the starter, lasting 2.1 innings and allowing nine hits and 6 runs, 5 earned, with a walk and two strikeouts.
Board and senior Jack Walker had a couple of hits, with Board’s 2 RBI leading the Lyons. Wadlington, Bridges, 8th grader Gunnar Bingham, and junior Keaton Bridges each had a hit, with Wadlington knocking-in a run.
Caldwell will hope the rain stays away for a trip to Livingston Central (5-3) on Saturday, with Lyon County scheduled to host Hickman County (5-3).