MONTICELLO — Scott Votaw pitched a masterful 2-hit shutout asthe Lawrence County Cougars edged the Enterprise Yellow Jackets 2-0in high school baseball action Tuesday night at Jimmie Davis Park.Votaw struck out 9 batters and walked just 1 in pitching theCougars (1-1) to their first win of the season.

“Scott did a great job for us,” said fourth-year Lawrence Countycoach Cory Keyes, ” and the way we’re swinging the bats, wecertainly needed it. It was a very tough win, and not a very prettyone, but we’re glad to have it.”

Pitching for Coach Seth Lofton’s Yellow Jacket team, left-handerRyan Kennedy matched Votaw almost pitch for pitch. He gave up just2 hits and struck out 12. Kennedy could easily have had a shutouthimself, with just a bit of luck.

In the bottom of the third, Lawrence County’s Conner Oakes wasat second base, when Kennedy struck out Tyler Reeves for the thirdout of the inning. The pitch was in the dirt, however, and whenEnterprise catcher Travis Leggett overthrew first base, Oakes camearound with a run that almost defines the term unearned run.

In the bottom of the fifth, Votaw hit a 1-out double toright-center. One out later, courtesy runner Tucker Smith stolethird, then scored on a wild pitch.

Kennedy benefited from excellent defensive plays by secondbaseman Matt Price and first baseman Ky Mathas.

The Yellow Jackets rarely threatened against Votaw. In thefourth, a potential Enterprise rally was foiled by a 5-4-3 doubleplay started by Cougar third baseman Willie Buckley. In the fifth,Votaw picked off the leadoff man, who had reached first base on awalk.

Third baseman Taylor Herrington had 2 hits for Enterprise. Pricealso had a single. Votaw and shortstop Nathan Case had LawrenceCounty’s only 2 hits.

Lawrence County’s offensive struggles were a repeat of theCougars’ Monday hitting woes, when LCHS struck out 14 times againstLaurel. The Cougars have just 4 hits in 2 games.

“As happy as we are to get this tough win,” said long-time LCHSassistant Craig Davis, “we’re obviously pretty frustrated with ouroffensive futility. It’s been two very tough nights at theplate.

“That said, we aren’t going to jump off the water tower. We’verun into two very good pitchers to start this season, and they’rethe main reasons we’ve struggled. It’ll get better. We’ve just gotto hang tough.”