Jayden Hathcock loses his hat but still delivers the pitch for the Champions. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
By RICKEY CLARDY
Sports Writer
UNIONVILLE – Going into Tuesday night’s District 9-2A contest, the Cascade Champions and Community Vikings were tied for second place with the district tournament just around the corner.
With a superb pitching performance by Jayden Hathcock and some early runs that provided a cushion, the Champions took over sole possession of second with a 4-1 win over the Vikings.
Cascade (13-6, 4-3) scored two runs in the opening inning in an unconventional fashion.
Jordan Childress led off with a walk and a single by Xykaiah Dixon put two Champion runners on base with no outs.
After a Caleb Crouch sacrifice, a walk to Thomas Demartelaere loaded the bases with one out.
On a ground ball to second by Wickey Parker, one run scored on a fielder’s choice with another runner caught in a rundown between first and second. During the rundown, the Vikings got the out for a double play, but a second Champion run scored to give Cascade a 2-0 lead.
The Champs got their third run in the second inning in another odd way.
After Jaxson
Isaiah Beech makes contact for the Vikings. (Post Photo by Rickey Clardy)
Milliken singled, River Maddox drove home Milliken with an apparent double.
It was discovered that Maddox was not the correct batter, negating the double, but the run stood as Cascade went up 3-0.
Community (13-13, 3-4 ) made some noise to break the ice in the bottom of the third.
After a walk to Tyler Wood and a Champion error put two Community runners on base with two outs, Case Davis drove a single to right, scoring a run and cutting the Cascade lead to 3-1.
The Champions got the run back in the fourth as Parker led off with a double and scored on two wild pitches as the Champs went up 4-1.
The pitchers ruled the remainder of the game with Viking hurler Kaleb Maillet and Hathcock mowing down the opposition.
Maillet finished with five strikeouts and kept the game close to give the Vikings a chance, but Community baserunners with few and far between in the latter innings as Hathcock finished with 11 strikeouts and struck out the side in both the fifth and seventh innings as the Champs took the road win.
Dixon and Milliken had two singles apiece while Parker had a double to lead the Champions at the plate.
Davis had both of the two hits for the Vikings.
The Vikings look for revenge in a game at Cascade on Wednesday.
Cascade 210 100 0 — 4 6 1
Community 001 000 0 — 1 2 0
Cascade: Xykaiah Dixon 2-for-4, Wickey Parker 1-for-3, Jaxson Milliken 2-for-3, Daymian Maldonado 1-for-2.
Community : Case Davis 2-for-3.
WP: Hathcock.
LP: Maillet.
