Big inning keeps Lexington alive with win over Spring Valley

As big innings go, Lexington’s half of the fourth inning against Spring Valley on Saturday was more of a quiet riot.

But the five-run frame was all the Wildcats needed in a 5-1 win that eliminated the Vikings in the Class 4A District VIII Tournament.

Three of the Wildcats’ runs came after drawing walks.

“Earlier in the game, we were swinging at bad pitches and getting ourselves out,” Lexington coach Brian Hucks said. “We talked about just trying to be patient and wait it out. When we did that, we got some better counts and got some walks and forced them to throw strikes.”

Lexington (14-10) travels to Stratford in an elimination game Monday.

Lexington starter Rhett Bane scattered five hits in a complete game, striking out five, walking three and hitting one. His only trouble came early when the Vikings took a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Spring Valley (10-14) got its only run – unearned – in the second inning when Matt Ross singled, Ronald Hollins reached on an error and Baylor Barry drove in Ross.

“I started off that inning giving up a hit that I didn’t want, and then an error,” Bane said. “We could have turned a double play there, but it’s all right, we still got the win.”

Spring Valley’s John Cassibry had one-hit Lexington through three innings, but gave up back-to-back singles on Cole Lemacks and Brice Kirven in the fourth. Bubba Bowers loaded the bases when he reached safely on a fielder’s choice.

“It just escalated from there,” Spring Valley coach Collin Liggett said. “Single up the middle, we get up 0-2 on a guy and walk him on four straight pitches (to score a run), and we just struggled throwing strikes.”

With the bases loaded and nobody out, David Jacobs singled in Lemacks to even the game at 1-1.

Cassibry’s afternoon ended when he walked Rhett Bane to score Kirven and make it 2-1. He was still responsible for Bowers, Jacobs and Bane as Cameron Neal came on in relief, and all of them crossed the plate.

Neal walked Jared Kirven to score Bowers, got Noah Davis to pop out for the first out, but walked John Asbill to score Jacobs and give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead.

Austin Muse, pinch running for Bane, scored the fifth run when Dalton Landsdown hit into a fielder’s choice.

Bane wavered on the mound in the late innings, including loading the bases two outs in the seventh, but had enough to strike out Mike Duroux to close out the game.

“He’s a senior. He’s been in the program forever,” Hucks said. “When you get in an elimination game, you want your most veteran guys out there. He’s got stripes on his sleeve, so we turned it over to him and said ‘get us to Monday.’”

Noah Davis is likely to start on the mound for the Wildcats on Monday, Hucks said, but the decision might depend on who Lexington will play.

This story was originally published April 30, 2016 at 7:48 PM with the headline "Big inning keeps Lexington alive with win over Spring Valley."