By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Pitted against two of the toughest teams in the state, the Madisonville-North Hopkins baseball team exhibited exactly why the Maroons should also be in the top 25 conversation following a doubleheader on Saturday.
North began the day with a 14-11 loss to Bullitt East, but rebounded in the nightcap with a 7-4 victory against Daviess County at Elmer Kelley Stadium.
"We're facing the No. 6 team in the first game and the No. 22 team in the state in the second game and I told the kids after the game, I said, 'I think if you put all three in a hat, I don't know who's the best,'" coach Scott Vance said. "Does that put us right there with them? I think so."
Vance said the difference in winning or losing when playing such talented teams often comes down to the smallest aspects.
"When you play good people like Daviess County and Bullitt East, there's no gifts," he said. "You have to play and you own everything you get.
"It's just about who's going to make the routine plays, who's going to play fundamental baseball and that's usually who comes out on top in those games," he said.
Against Daviess (9-4), the Maroons (12-4) excelled at the fundamentals by staying alert and scrapping for each run. North jumped on the board quickly in the first scoring once on a bases loaded balk and another on a Justin Lamb RBI ground-out. With those runs, the Maroons led 2-1 and maintained an advantage the rest of the game.
North began the day with a 14-11 loss to Bullitt East, but rebounded in the nightcap with a 7-4 victory against Daviess County at Elmer Kelley Stadium.
"We're facing the No. 6 team in the first game and the No. 22 team in the state in the second game and I told the kids after the game, I said, 'I think if you put all three in a hat, I don't know who's the best,'" coach Scott Vance said. "Does that put us right there with them? I think so."
Vance said the difference in winning or losing when playing such talented teams often comes down to the smallest aspects.
"When you play good people like Daviess County and Bullitt East, there's no gifts," he said. "You have to play and you own everything you get.
"It's just about who's going to make the routine plays, who's going to play fundamental baseball and that's usually who comes out on top in those games," he said.
Against Daviess (9-4), the Maroons (12-4) excelled at the fundamentals by staying alert and scrapping for each run. North jumped on the board quickly in the first scoring once on a bases loaded balk and another on a Justin Lamb RBI ground-out. With those runs, the Maroons led 2-1 and maintained an advantage the rest of the game.
North struck for another pair of runs in the third inning and one in the fourth. Lamb provided another run-producing plate appearance when two scored on his bloop double to right field in the third.
With a team total 18 runs and 18 hits on the day, Lamb said he likes the Maroons offensive potential.
"We're just a really strong hitting team and I hope it stays strong," he said. "We've never had a team like this."
Hayden Marks had two RBI against Daviess with a ground-out in the fourth and a single in the sixth. Pitcher Ben Campbell rounded out the scoring with his RBI double in the sixth to go ahead 7-2.
Campbell cruised much of the game, but the Maroons suffered some unfortunate miscues in the final frame. With one out and a man on first base, North attempted to turn a double play on a grounder to short. When the Maroons turned the ball, the field umpire ruled the second baseman was off the bag and the ensuing throw sailed out of play allowing the lead runner to score and the batter/runner to third.
"That's the ol' vicinity call," Vance said. "If I'm in the same area code, I'm probably ringing him up there at second and (the ump) didn't and that's OK."
The next batter hit a sacrifice fly to pull within three, but Campbell ended the game on a strikeout to quell the rally.
In the first game, North produced plenty of offense, but could not manufacture an overall clean game against Bullitt East (12-3).
"We didn't make plays," Vance said. "We swung the bat well, but probably out of all the phases of the game that was the only thing we did well."
Catcher Dalton Lykins led North offensively with a 4-for-4 game including a solo home run in the third that cleared the left-center field fence.
"I sit on the high and inside ball," Lykins said about the blast. "I didn't think it was gone. I thought it was straight up, but the wind got with me."
The Maroons led 11-10 after five innings, but surrendered four in the sixth as Bullitt East captured the win.
Despite the loss, North has plenty of momentum to carry into next week's action.
"It just proved we're a contender," Lamb said. "We were there the whole way. If we didn't make some of the mistakes we made, then we should have had that in our back pocket."
North next plays 5:30 p.m. Monday at Union County.
1st game
Bullitt East 235 004 0 - 14 12 5
North 411 500 0 - 11 12 4
LP: Micah Rainwater
2nd game
Daviess 100 010 2 - 4 6 2
North 202 102 X - 7 6 2
WP: Ben Campbell
With a team total 18 runs and 18 hits on the day, Lamb said he likes the Maroons offensive potential.
"We're just a really strong hitting team and I hope it stays strong," he said. "We've never had a team like this."
Hayden Marks had two RBI against Daviess with a ground-out in the fourth and a single in the sixth. Pitcher Ben Campbell rounded out the scoring with his RBI double in the sixth to go ahead 7-2.
Campbell cruised much of the game, but the Maroons suffered some unfortunate miscues in the final frame. With one out and a man on first base, North attempted to turn a double play on a grounder to short. When the Maroons turned the ball, the field umpire ruled the second baseman was off the bag and the ensuing throw sailed out of play allowing the lead runner to score and the batter/runner to third.
"That's the ol' vicinity call," Vance said. "If I'm in the same area code, I'm probably ringing him up there at second and (the ump) didn't and that's OK."
The next batter hit a sacrifice fly to pull within three, but Campbell ended the game on a strikeout to quell the rally.
In the first game, North produced plenty of offense, but could not manufacture an overall clean game against Bullitt East (12-3).
"We didn't make plays," Vance said. "We swung the bat well, but probably out of all the phases of the game that was the only thing we did well."
Catcher Dalton Lykins led North offensively with a 4-for-4 game including a solo home run in the third that cleared the left-center field fence.
"I sit on the high and inside ball," Lykins said about the blast. "I didn't think it was gone. I thought it was straight up, but the wind got with me."
The Maroons led 11-10 after five innings, but surrendered four in the sixth as Bullitt East captured the win.
Despite the loss, North has plenty of momentum to carry into next week's action.
"It just proved we're a contender," Lamb said. "We were there the whole way. If we didn't make some of the mistakes we made, then we should have had that in our back pocket."
North next plays 5:30 p.m. Monday at Union County.
1st game
Bullitt East 235 004 0 - 14 12 5
North 411 500 0 - 11 12 4
LP: Micah Rainwater
2nd game
Daviess 100 010 2 - 4 6 2
North 202 102 X - 7 6 2
WP: Ben Campbell
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