The Lyon County baseball team welcomed the St. Mary Vikings to Eddyville on Thursday afternoon for a pair of five-inning games, with the Lyons coming from behind to win the first 9-4 and squeaking out a walk-off 4-3 victory in the second. With the wins the Lyons have won three straight to improve to 3-1, while the Vikings remain winless at 0-5.
St. Mary got a quick start with 2 unearned runs in the top of the first, before senior 1B Hale Sims blasted a 2-run shot over the right-field fence in their half of the second to give the Vikings a 4-0 lead. The Lyons got 1 back in the bottom of the second, with senior 1B Jack Walker coming home on a passed ball.
The Lyons took control of the game with 5 runs in the bottom of the third, beginning with freshman LF Travis Yancy grounding out to bring in senior CF Max Wadlington. Senior C Brody Bridges kept the rally going with a double to left field, scoring junior SS Gabe Board, and 8th grader Gunnar Bingham singled to right with freshman Brady Darnell scoring on the throw. Walker came home on a passed ball for the second time, before junior Jake Kleuppel capped the rally with a single to left to score Bingham.
Wadlington relieved Yancy on the mound in the top of the fourth, inheriting a Viking on first and second with no outs. Wadlington struck out the first batter he faced, before giving up a single to load the bases. Sims stepped to the plate for the Vikings with a chance to swing momentum, but Wadlington struck him out looking, before getting out of trouble with a fly ball to center field for the third out.
Wadlington led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple, and Yancy brought him home with a double. Bridges singled to score Yancy, and Darnell came home on the throw on a single by Walker, giving the Lyons the final 9-4 margin.
Bridges and Yancy both had 2 RBI, with Bridges one of three Lyons with two hits. Wadlington and Board both had a couple of hits, with Wadlington coming home twice and Board scoring once. Walker, Bingham, and Kleuppel each had a hit and an RBI, with Walker scoring twice and Bingham once.
Yancy earned the win, going 3.0 innings and allowing four hits and 4 runs, 2 earned, to go with one strikeout and four walks. Wadlington pitched the final two frames, striking out three and only giving up one hit.
Sophomore Billy Johnston took the loss for the Vikings, lasting 2.1 innings, striking out three and walking two, while allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, on four hits. Sims and freshman Bryce Haas both had a hit and 2 RBI, with Sims scoring twice and drawing a walk.
The Lyons built the early lead in the second game, with Board getting them off to a big start with a first-inning homer over the left-field wall. Walker made it 2-0 with a single that brought in Yancy. The Lyons added another in their half of the second when Yancy reached on an error, allowing Wadlington to score the 3rd run.
With the Lyons seemingly in control, Sims struck again for the Vikings, clearing the right-field wall again for a 2-run shot to cut the lead to 1. St. Mary tied it at 3 in the top of the fourth, setting up some late inning Lyon heroics.
Bridges reached after being hit by a pitch, and then Walker and Bingham both legged out bunts to load the bases. Kleuppel jumped on the first pitch he saw, driving it to center field to score Darnell and secure the walk-off 4-3 win.
Walker, Kleuppel, and Board each had an RBI, with Board collecting a couple of hits and a run scored. Wadlington, Bridges, and freshman 2B Christian O’Daniel each had a hit, and Wadlington crossed the plate once. Darnell and Yancy each knocked in a run.
Junior Dylan Capello went the distance for the Lyons, allowing three hits and 3 runs, 1 earned, while striking out four and walking one.
Haas took the loss for the Vikings, pitching 4.0 innings and allowing 4 runs, 3 earned, on seven hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Sims again accounted for most of the St. Mary offense, knocking in 2 and scoring once.
Up next for the Lyons is a 2nd Region All “A” Classic match-up with Livingston Central (4-1) on Monday.
