Trigg County junior Arlon Butts followed up a complete game victory on the mound on Thursday with a 2-run home run and 5 RBI to help the Wildcats to a 16-7 victory over visiting Livingston Central on Friday night in Cadiz. Trigg County claims its third-straight win to improve to 4-3 overall, 2-1 in 5th-District play. The Cardinals drop their second in three tries to slip to 3-4, 1-1 in the district.
Trigg County starter Hayden Cunningham gave up a double and hit two batters in the first, but worked out of trouble and the Wildcats took the lead with 3 runs in the top of the inning. Butts picked up his first RBI of the night on a single, followed by a run-scoring double by Andrew Williamson.
Jacob Kent doubled home Riley Stallons in the second, and the Wildcats added 2 more to lead 7-1.
After the Cardinals posted 3 runs on two doubles and a single in the third, the Wildcats answered in the bottom of the frame with an RBI single by Cunningham and a 2-run home run over the left-field fence by Butts for a 10-3 advantage.
Cunningham gave up a single and hit a batter to start the fourth, and was relieved by Colton Sumner. Livingston greeted Sumner with three-straight RBI doubles, trimming the margin to 3 at 10-7.
The Wildcats put the game away with a 4-run fifth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Butts and a run-scoring single by Cortner that he beat out with a head-first slide at first. Sumner retired six of the final seven batters he faced to seal the victory.
Cunningham worked 3.0 innings for the win, yielding 5 earned runs on 7 hits, with 3 strikeouts. Sumner finished off the last 4.0 frames, surrendering 2 earned runs on 4 hits, with a walk and 2 strikeouts.
Butts led the way at the plate, collecting 3 hits and driving-in 5, followed by Cortner with 3 hits and 3 RBI.
Josh Wilson only lasted 1.2 innings and took the loss, giving up 7 runs, 5 earned, with 6 walks and a strikeout. T-Roy Ringstaff went the last 4.1, allowing 9 earned runs on 10 hits, with 3 walks.
Ringstaff and Michael Barrow each had a couple of hits and 2 RBI for the Cardinals.