With a game the Lyon County Lyons had led since the 2nd inning seemingly slipping away in extra innings, one swing by junior shortstop Gunnar Bingham changed all that and sent the Lyons to a 6-5 walk-off win over McCracken County on Monday night in Eddyville.
Making his first start of the season on the mound, Lyon County’s Aidan Rush got off to a rough start when McCracken’s lead-off hitter Ben Higdon homered over the left-center-field fence. But the Lyons answered in the bottom of the inning when Peyton Williams drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game.
It was the Lyons’ turn to leave the yard in the 2nd, with Brody Williams connecting for a 3-run home run to put an end to McCracken starting pitcher Cameron Willis’ day. The Mustangs pulled a couple of runs back in the top of the 3rd, with Ben Higdon doubling in his second run of the game and a sacrifice fly to trim the Lyons’ lead to 4-3.
The score held until the bottom of the 5th when Aidan Rush led off the inning with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and came home on a sacrifice fly by Christian O’Daniel.
Chasing a complete-game win, Rush recorded the first out in the top of the 7th, but Dylan Riley doubled to bring in a run and cut the margin to one. With 2 outs and the tying run on second, the Lyons thought they had the third out, but after a close pitch was called a ball the Mustangs’ Moffatt took full advantage of his second chance. He singled on a line drive to center, bringing home Riley and knotting the game at 5-5.
With the game in extra innings, McCracken went quietly in the top of the frame, setting the stage for Bingham’s heroics. Eli Baker led off the inning with a single, but after a sacrifice bunt moved a pinch runner to 2nd, he was thrown out at 3rd after a wild pitch. It wouldn’t matter, as Bingham crushed Daniel Higdon’s 0-2 offering over the right-field fence to give the Lyons a 6-5 victory.
Rush pitched seven innings, allowing 5 runs, 4 earned, with 2 walks and 5 strikeouts. Aaron Long relieved him in the top of the 8th and sat down the Mustangs in order.
Bingham, Brody Williams, and Brady Darnall each had 2 hits, with Williams driving in 3. Rush and Baker each had a hit, and O’Daniel and Peyton Williams each had an RBI.
The Lyons snap a 2-game losing streak to improve to 6-3 overall with a trip to Livingston Central coming up on Tuesday. The Mustangs drop their third in five outings to slip to 9-3.
