By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter, nbrockman@the-messenger.com
If the Madisonville Miners' opening weekend is any indication of how the rest of the season shall go, then local baseball fans will have plenty of high-powered action to witness this summer.
The American Legion Post 6 Miners junior and senior squads swept their competition this weekend. The juniors traveled to the Bullitt East Tournament where they captured the championship while the elder team took both games in a doubleheader against Metcalfe County at Elmer Kelley Stadium.
Miners manager Scott Marks joined the junior team at Bullitt East and witnessed many positive aspects.
"My favorite part about the junior team was the way we attacked the ball at the plate," he said. "We were patiently aggressive and did a good job at the plate.
Madisonville-North Hopkins' Hayden Marks started for the Miners juniors and led the squad to a five-inning, 10-0 victory Friday night. Marks tossed four innings, struck out seven and did not allow a hit.
Fellow Maroons Michael Huddleston and Dalton Lykins each recorded two hits. Huddleston added four stolen bases and Hopkinsville's Clayton Smithson finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs.
The offense continued on Saturday with a 14-2 victory against Anderson, Ind. and a 10-0 win against host Bullitt East.
The American Legion Post 6 Miners junior and senior squads swept their competition this weekend. The juniors traveled to the Bullitt East Tournament where they captured the championship while the elder team took both games in a doubleheader against Metcalfe County at Elmer Kelley Stadium.
Miners manager Scott Marks joined the junior team at Bullitt East and witnessed many positive aspects.
"My favorite part about the junior team was the way we attacked the ball at the plate," he said. "We were patiently aggressive and did a good job at the plate.
Madisonville-North Hopkins' Hayden Marks started for the Miners juniors and led the squad to a five-inning, 10-0 victory Friday night. Marks tossed four innings, struck out seven and did not allow a hit.
Fellow Maroons Michael Huddleston and Dalton Lykins each recorded two hits. Huddleston added four stolen bases and Hopkinsville's Clayton Smithson finished 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs.
The offense continued on Saturday with a 14-2 victory against Anderson, Ind. and a 10-0 win against host Bullitt East.
Josh Drake and Kyle Smithson, both from Hopkinsville, secured the pitching wins.
Offensively, Lykins totaled 5-for-7 with five RBIs on the day while Hopkins County Central's Tyler Harris went 3-for-6 with four RBIs.
The junior team entered Sunday's action as the No. 1 seed in the elimination bracket. Madisonville defeated Bullitt East 12-9 to advance to the championship contest.
Kyle Smithson earned the pitching win as the Miners went the full seven innings for the only time all weekend. Drake collected two hits including a solo home run. Huddleston tacked on two more stolen bases to his weekend total and Lykins added two more RBIs.
Madisonville fell behind 5-0 to Owen County Post 39 after three innings in the championship, but scored 15 unanswered to capture the title.
Marks said it was the single most impressive part of the weekend.
"We were down 5-0 and it looked kind of bleak - it didn't bother the kids at all," he said. "They didn't play the score, they played the game."
Harris, Huddleston, Lykins and both Smithsons finished with at least two hits.
Looking back at the juniors' weekend, Marks said Lykins' performance stood out among the best.
"He caught all weekend for us and the juniors did a great job," he said. "The more tired he got, the better he played. He's definitely a competitor. He would be my MVP for the weekend being able to play all those games and catch."
Meanwhile, the elder Miners squad swept Metcalfe County 8-1 and 15-4 on Saturday.
Western Kentucky University pitcher Tyler Gilliland threw six innings and struck out six to earn the first win. University of New Orleans pitcher Jarred Marks threw one inning of no-hit relief.
Pitching continued to be the senior team's theme in the second game as 2009 Madisonville-North Hopkins graduate Ben Campbell struck out eight in five innings and surrendered just one earned run.
Campbell's former catcher Drew Bennett, now of Vincennes University (Ind.), paced the Miners with a three-hit, two RBI performance. Micah Rainwater, also a 2009 North grad, knocked in two on two hits and Gilliland added a two-run home run.
The Madisonville junior team returns to action at 4:30 p.m. today to play host to Bowling Green in a doubleheader, while the seniors do not play again until 5:30 p.m. at the Western Kentucky Dirtbags.
Offensively, Lykins totaled 5-for-7 with five RBIs on the day while Hopkins County Central's Tyler Harris went 3-for-6 with four RBIs.
The junior team entered Sunday's action as the No. 1 seed in the elimination bracket. Madisonville defeated Bullitt East 12-9 to advance to the championship contest.
Kyle Smithson earned the pitching win as the Miners went the full seven innings for the only time all weekend. Drake collected two hits including a solo home run. Huddleston tacked on two more stolen bases to his weekend total and Lykins added two more RBIs.
Madisonville fell behind 5-0 to Owen County Post 39 after three innings in the championship, but scored 15 unanswered to capture the title.
Marks said it was the single most impressive part of the weekend.
"We were down 5-0 and it looked kind of bleak - it didn't bother the kids at all," he said. "They didn't play the score, they played the game."
Harris, Huddleston, Lykins and both Smithsons finished with at least two hits.
Looking back at the juniors' weekend, Marks said Lykins' performance stood out among the best.
"He caught all weekend for us and the juniors did a great job," he said. "The more tired he got, the better he played. He's definitely a competitor. He would be my MVP for the weekend being able to play all those games and catch."
Meanwhile, the elder Miners squad swept Metcalfe County 8-1 and 15-4 on Saturday.
Western Kentucky University pitcher Tyler Gilliland threw six innings and struck out six to earn the first win. University of New Orleans pitcher Jarred Marks threw one inning of no-hit relief.
Pitching continued to be the senior team's theme in the second game as 2009 Madisonville-North Hopkins graduate Ben Campbell struck out eight in five innings and surrendered just one earned run.
Campbell's former catcher Drew Bennett, now of Vincennes University (Ind.), paced the Miners with a three-hit, two RBI performance. Micah Rainwater, also a 2009 North grad, knocked in two on two hits and Gilliland added a two-run home run.
The Madisonville junior team returns to action at 4:30 p.m. today to play host to Bowling Green in a doubleheader, while the seniors do not play again until 5:30 p.m. at the Western Kentucky Dirtbags.
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