Hornets sting the fire out of Bobcats, 13-1 in game one of two

The Loyd Star Hornets’ bats heated up early and never cooled down in a 13-1 demolition of Bogue Chitto in a double header Friday.

Loyd Star needed just five innings to put away the first game. Scoring in every inning, Loyd Star’s big fourth pushed the game out of reach for Bogue Chitto. Loyd Star secured three extra runs in the fifth to insure the victory.

“We came out strong and didn’t let up the whole game,” said Hornets junior Dylan Case. “We finished hard.”

Junior Dane Smith started the scoring for the Hornets by hitting a two-run homer. The Cats managed to get out of the inning before Loyd Star could do any more damage.

The Hornets scored two more runs in their half of the second. Junior James Beard brought in a run on a hard-hit RBI single. With two outs and the bases loaded, Smith showed patience at the plate as he drew a walk, bringing in Loyd Star’s second run of the inning. Bogue Chitto got the much-needed final out before the Hornets could add more runs.

The Hornets continued their scoring in the top of the third. Sophomore Stephen Mills scored a run on an RBI sacrifice. Loyd Star scorde one more run in the inning off an errant throw from the Bobcats.

Bogue Chitto got their only run of the game in their half of the third. With two outs and the bases loaded, junior Darius Porter drew a walk. The Hornets got the final out, leaving the bases filled with Bobcat runners.

Junior Logan Smith added to the bleeding in the game. Waiting for a pitch he could do damage with, he did just that, as he belted a grand slam.

The Hornets finished off game one in the fifth inning, scoring three runs. Beard added two runs with a home run. Senior Dylan Smith finished the scoring off with an RBI sacrifice, giving Loyd Star a 13-1 win over rival Bogue Chitto.

“I felt like our boys came out tonight really hitting the ball well,” Loyd Star coach Jared Britt said. “We got a good pitching performance by Case.”

Case, pitching all five innings and striking out six batters, picked up the win for the Hornets.

Senior Trey Nettles took the set back on the mound for Bogue Chitto.

Beard hit a single, home run and three RBIs for the Hornets. Senior Cade Hodges hit a single and a double. Sophomore Reese DeHart had three singles. Dylan Smith had two singles and an RBI. Dane Smith had a single, home run and two RBIs. Logan Smith had a home run and four RBIs. Mills had a RBI.

Nettles had a single for the Bobcats. Senior Tucker Lambert also hit a single.

Hornets buzz off with 13-9 win in game 2

The Bobcats looked a little more alive in game two, but Loyd Star ran another 13 across the plate for a 13-9 win to complete the sweep.

The wait between games didn’t cool down the Hornets’ bats — neither did the chilly weather. The Hornets swung the bats at will, scoring in almost every inning. Bogue Chitto attempted a rally in the fourth inning, only to see Loyd Star add a few insurance runs to seal up the double header.

“We started off slow a little bit,” said Loyd Star junior James Beard. “The team got on track and started hitting the ball really good.”

Loyd Star picked up where they left off in game one, as Beard led off with a home run. Dylan Case followed with an RBI single before Bogue Chitto could record the final out.

The Hornets added another run in their half of the second. Reese DeHart hammered an RBI double. Trailing 3-0, the Bobcats quickly tied the game up off of a three-run home run by junior Darius Porter.

Loyd Star reclaimed the lead in the third off an RBI sacrifice by junior catcher Rials Hester. Dane Smith added another run, stealing home after a throw to home plate went passed the catcher.

Beard added another run in the fourth, hitting an RBI single. Cade Hodges brought in a run off an error by the Bobcats. Trailing 7-3 heading into their half of the fourth, Bogue Chitto took their only lead of the game, scoring five runs.

With the bases fully loaded and no outs, Bogue Chitto junior Bryce Langley delivered an RBI single. Looking at one out and bases still loaded, senior Tucker Lambert hammered a grand slam to give Bogue Chitto the lead.

Playing from behind, Loyd Star scored four runs in their half of the sixth. Hodges started the scoring with an RBI sacrifice. Attempting to stretch a single into a double, Dylan Smith was tagged out, but the Hornets were able to score runs before the tag was applied.

The Hornets added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Beard ripped an RBI triple. Hodges followed up with an RBI before the Cats could get the final outs.

Bogue Chitto attempted to take away the game in the bottom of the seventh but could only muster one run, off a double by senior Tanner Gunther, before the Hornets could record the final out of the game.

“Can’t say enough about the guys. They answered back after we challenged them after the game on Tuesday,” Loyd Star coach Jared Britt said. “We worked really hard on hitting and extra defense the last two days. I felt like that really paid off. Hopefully we can continue our momentum and get ready for these next couple of games in spring break.”

Hester started on the mound for the Hornets. Stephen Mills pitched in relief, picking up the win.

Gunther started for the Bobcats. Lambert pitched in relief in the seventh inning.

Beard hit for the cycle with a single, double, triple, home run and three RBIs for the Hornets. Cade Hodges hit a double and had three RBIs. Dylan Case hit a single and one RBI. Reese DeHart had a double and an RBI.

Logan Smith hit for a single. Rials Hester had two singles and two RBIs. Stephen Mills hit for a double. Dane Smith hit for a single.

Porter hit a home run and three RBIs for the Bobcats. Shaw King had a single. Lambert had a single, double, home run and four RBIs. Gunther had a double and an RBI.

Loyd Star will face Mendenhall tonight in the Lawrence County tournament.

Bogue Chitto will take on Columbia Friday.