Lawrence County stomps McComb
Published 11:50 am Thursday, March 19, 2015
McCOMB – The Lawrence County Cougars opened Division 7-4A play with a 16-0 trouncing of McComb in Tuesday night baseball action at McComb’s Rotary Field. Lawrence County banged out a whopping 14 hits in just 4 innings, and got 4 innings of 1-hit pitching from Kody Smith.
With the win, Lawrence County improved to 6-2 overall, and 1-0 in Division 7-4A play. McComb fell to 0-7 overall, and 0-1 in the division.
“We really hit the baseball tonight,” said first-year Cougar coach Josh Garrett. “A couple of weeks ago, we couldn’t buy a hit, but we’re swinging it pretty well right now.”
The onslaught started in the top of the first. After the first 2 Cougar batters reached base via a walk and a hit batsman, 5 different LCHS players got hits, and all 5 hits drove in runs. Kody Smith had a double, and Logan Greenlee, Brandon Bullock, Rishad Haynes, and Seth Bass all had singles.
In the second, a walk, a Smith single, and Bullock’s 2-run double made it an 8-0 game. The top of the third produced 3 more runs, as Smith, Bass, and Marcus Atterberry all had singles. In the fourth, Joshua Stephens whacked a 2-run homer. Atterberry doubled, and Gabriel Lewis and Marcus Kees both added singles.
While the Cougars were enjoying a hitting frenzy against two McComb, Lawrence County senior Kody Smith was breezing through the Tiger lineup. Smith faced just 1 hitter more than the 4-inning minimum. He struck out 6 and never even went to a 3-ball count.
McComb’s lone baserunner came in the second, when second baseman Kendrick Butler laced a double into the left field corner.
“We just had a good night,” said long-time LCHS assistant Craig Davis. “McComb really didn’t do anything wrong. Their pitchers threw firm strikes, and they defended well. We put 23 balls in play in four innings, and they only made one minor bobble. I know the score doesn’t show it, but I was impressed by the way they fielded the ball.”
The same two teams will meet at Jimmie Davis Park in Monticello on Friday. Junior varsity action begins at 4 p.m., and the varsity game is scheduled for 6 p.m.