Big first inning carries Lexington into Lower State title game

Lexington has had its share of big innings during the postseason.

The Wildcats got another one Saturday, and scoring eight runs in the first on their way to a 10-7 win against River Bluff in winner’s bracket game of the Class 5A Lower State tournament.

With the win, Lexington (22-7) advances to Wednesday’s Lower State championship and faces the winner of Monday’s River Bluff at Dutch Fork elimination game. The Wildcats are looking for their first state championship since 2013.

“Any time you get out to a big lead, it changes the way you can play,” Lexington coach Brian Hucks said. “You can be more aggressive and relax and play the game a bit.”

Cole Lemacks, Josh Asbill and Peyton Evans drove in two runs each for the Wildcats, and Zack Smith added two hits.

Lemacks and Evans had two-run doubles in the first inning as the Wildcats sent 11 men to the plate and scored eight runs to chase River Bluff starter Hunter Garris, who lasted  1/3 of an inning.

“The eight spot is hard to overcome,” River Bluff coach Mark Bonnette said. “A good ball club like Lexington put a few hits together, and we couldn’t seem to get out of it.”

It’s the third straight playoff game in which Lexington has scored 10 or more runs. The Wildcats scored 13 in Tuesday’s win against South Florence and put up 10 in Friday’s win against Dutch Fork.

But like the South Florence game, where the Wildcats squandered a nine-run lead before winning 13-10, Hucks never relaxed as he watched River Bluff chip away at the lead.

The Gators scored three in the fifth to cut the lead to 9-5 on RBIs by Walker McDowell, Patrick Manley and Josh Senter.

Jackson Hannon hit a two-run homer in the seventh to get within 10-7, but Evans retired the next batter to give the Wildcats their first win against River Bluff this year.

Lexington lost both meetings to the Gators during the regular season.

“I don’t think I have ever been so uncomfortable with such a big lead,” Hucks said. “… But we are where we need to be. We’ve just got to find a way to get one more.”

Nathan Roof picked up the win for the Wildcats.

Manley and Aaron Adams each had two hits to lead River Bluff (22-8).

The Gators entered the Lower State tournament without Victor Kelly and Ricky Williams, who had to rest because of the new pitch-count rules. But they hope to make it back to Wednesday’s Lower State title game.

Kelly will get the start Monday at Dutch Fork.

“The pitch-count rules change who you can throw, but it kind of flips back toward us on Monday,” Bonnette said. “We’ve got to play a tough Dutch Fork team and will do our best to get back here.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2017 at 7:16 PM with the headline "Big first inning carries Lexington into Lower State title game."