Sports Reporter
ASHLAND – The Limestone-MSSM Eagles have started their baseball season in impressive fashion.
The visiting Eagles, under the leadership of newly-appointed co-coaches Dustin Morgan and Brad Nadeau, unleashed a 21-hit attack Friday and scored all their runs over the first four innings in a 31-6 rout of an inexperienced Hornet squad.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
Senior catcher-first baseman Ty Tracy of the Limestone-MSSM Eagles gets ready for a pitch during his team’s win over Ashland.
The game was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Both teams had big scoring outbursts in the first inning. The Eagles scored six runs in their half, as Nick Whitehead, Josh Forsman and Dylan Morgan all had singles against Ashland starter Lucas Hafford. After Ty Tracy was hit by a pitch, Michael Allen grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Morgan thrown out at home on the play. Aaron St. Pierre and Nate Berube both walked to load the bases before Cody Bryant came through with a two-run single into right-center field to close out the rally.
Ashland’s half of the inning was highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of Brandon Labbe. Casey Cobb led off by reaching on an error, while Royce MacDonald drew a walk and Hafford ripped an RBI single to center field to score Cobb, while MacDonald came across as Hafford’s hit rolled under the glove of the Eagle center fielder. Labbe then hit his blast over the center field fence to make it 6-4.
Staff photo/Kevin Sjoberg
Josh Forsman scores one of Limestone-MSSM’s six first-inning runs and is congratulated by teammate Ty Tracy in front of the dugout during Friday’s game in Ashland. The Eagles prevailed, 31-6.
Limestone-MSSM’s offense continued in the second thanks to six walks allowed by Ashland pitching during the frame. Whitehead had the Eagles’ only hit of the inning, but his team still plated five runs.
Ashland failed to score in the bottom of the inning against Eagle starter Whitehead, and the outcome was sealed in the third inning when Limestone-MSSM scored 13 times. St. Pierre ripped a three-run homer to key the big inning.
St. Pierre added a two-run home run in the fourth and finished with seven RBI and scored five runs in the contest. Whitehead, a freshman, not only earned his first career varsity pitching victory but also had four singles and three RBI. Forsman doubled and singled twice and drove in three runs. Nate Tucker came on in relief for the Eagles in the fourth and pitched the final two innings.
Hafford hit a solo home run for Ashland. He took the pitching loss, with MacDonald, Labbe and Jordan Beaulier also seeing time on the mound for coach Dan Cote’s squad.
