Hornets secure Division 6-2A title

Published 5:00 am Tuesday, April 19, 2005

A tough 4-3 loss at St. Andrew’s Friday night put Loyd Star in amust-win situation Saturday if the the Hornets wanted to repeat asfour-time Division 6-2A baseball champions.

Powered by a 4th-inning, grand slam home run by Austin Fagan,the host Hornets rallied for a 9-2 win over the Saints to take thedivision championship.

Loyd Star (15-7, 8-2) entertains Amite County Monday night forthe final game of the regular season. On Thursday, the Hornets hosta first-round state playoff regional involving four teams.

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Loyd Star (No. 1) faces Newton (No. 4) in one game and Lake (No.2) battles Wesson (No. 3) in the other contest. Thedouble-elimination regional continues Friday and Saturday.

St. Andrew’s falls to 21-6 overall and 8-2 in the division.

“It was a very big game and Kyle James pitched a great game,”said Loyd Star first-year head coach Jonathan Breakfield. “This wasbig. Austin Fagan’s grand slam home run was huge in thefourth.”

James fanned 5 batters and walked 3 for the win on the mound.Conway Craig struck out 3 and walked 4 in the loss.

“This was our fourth straight division championship,” Breakfieldcontinued. “I am proud of my guys for working hard after losinglast night.”

St. Andrew’s led 2-1 after three innings. Loyd Star exploded forfour runs in the fourth for the 4-2 lead and added four more runsin the fifth for the 9-2 win.

“We played a good game,” said St. Andrew’s coach Mark Fanning.”Both teams played hard. Loyd Star came out at the end and won the6-2A championship.”

Patrick Holcomb singled three times for Loyd Star. Brent Fielderand Tyler Williford each doubled and singled. Chris Hester, MichaelBritt and Jared Rogers singled.

The Saints got a double and a single from Craig. Hitting safelywere Aubrey Green, Zack McLeod, Morgan Jones, Will Fontaine andScott Hatton.

St. Andrew’s 4, Loyd Star 3

Winning pitcher Mogan Jones (6-3) struck out 12 batters.

Loyd Star pitcher Patrick Holcomb (4-4) pitched well, strikingout 9 batters, but his teammates committed 5 errors.

The Saints trailed 3-2 in the sixth. Benji Orlanski’s RBI singlescored the winning run.

Fagan had 2 of Loyd Star’s 5 hits.

Junior varsity

Loyd Star knocked off St. Andrew’s 4-3 in JV baseball playSaturday.

Homering for the Hornets was Hunter Speeg. John Floyd, CayceFalvey and Jeremy James hit safely.