Posted on Fri, May. 09, 2008
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Byrd, Hornets fly high once again
East Central cruises in 4A South State opener
By JAMES JONES
jkjones@sunherald.com
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HURLEY --
East Central pitcher Phillip Byrd found a way to remain unbeaten this season.The senior left-handed pitcher tossed a two-hitter and struck out 11 as the Hornets surprisingly spanked West Jones 10-0 in Game 1 of the 4A South State Finals on Thursday.
East Central (24-9) goes for a sweep tonight at 7 p.m. at West Jones in Game 2. A third game, if needed, will be played Saturday at West Jones.
"We're pleased," Hornets coach Gary Long said. "We got the big hits when we needed them."
Byrd (13-0) continues his storybook season for the Hornets. The South Alabama signee struggled in the early parts before regaining his composure and shutting down West Jones.
"I just focused on doing my job," Byrd said. "The team backed me up at the plate and played good defense. I love playing with this team."
East Central gave Byrd all the support he would need by scoring three runs in the third inning.
Jarrod Howell walked, followed by Caleb Dickerson getting hit by a pitch. Andrew Evans' sacrifice fly moved the runners to second and third.
Trey Porter's two-run single gave the Hornets a 2-0 lead. Justin Packer's RBI groundout closed out the Hornets' scoring.
The Hornets took advantage of two West Jones fielding errors to pad their lead to 5-0. Shane Pearson and Caleb Dickerson both scored on errors.
East Central stayed hot in the fifth, scoring four runs to make it 9-0. Matt Linton, Jarrod Howell and Andrew Evans supplied RBI singles. Dickerson later scored on a wild pitch.
Tyler Gardner (8-1) lost for the first time this season. The Mustangs' four errors did not help his cause.
West Jones (27-5) is a pesky bunch, Long said. They have showed a knack for coming back to win series during the postseason, defeating both Poplarville and Vancleave in three-game sets.
"We expect West Jones to come back strong," Long said. "They're a good team. We need to keep doing the things we did tonight."
