Young Mustangs team end hard-fought season in Class 5A state baseball quarterfinal
MOODY – Madison Academy’s bats were mostly silenced by Moody pitchers. Mustangs pitchers kept the Blue Devils’ offense equally quiet. Something had to give in a Class 5A state baseball quarterfinal.
It was Madison Academy, a young team with only one starter who returned this season with much playoff experience and just four seniors, that blinked.
The Mustangs outhit the host Blue Devils, but the former couldn’t come up with enough of the timely variety and were swept 2-1, 3-1 in a best-of-three doubleheader Friday.
“We couldn’t find a hole when we hit it hard and couldn’t hit it hard when we needed to hit it hard,’’ Mustangs head coach David Pressley said.
Madison Academy led in total hits in both games 11-6, but after committing no errors in the opener had five in the nightcap.
Moody (25-7) will play Russellville in the semifinals. The season ended for Madison Academy (22-14), which loses just four seniors to graduation.
“I’m really proud of a young team that only had one guy with any experience in the playoffs,’’ Pressley said of sophomore shortstop/catcher/pitcher Grady Moore. “So, really proud of a group that grew a lot.
“We’re glad we got to have some moments throughout the year and got to make the run. We enjoyed it. We came up short but had really good kids, the families were awesome and supportive and we had a great time.’’
Starting outfielders Pearson Blue and CJ Whetstone, Game 1 designated hitter Ashton Osborne and George Vellis comprised the Mustangs’ senior class.
Moody 2, Madison Academy 1 (G1): Moody scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and pitcher Bryant Hardin made it stand up. He went the distance, allowing four hits with three strikeouts, two walks and an earned run.
Mustangs freshman starter Chase Harris-Lambert went five innings, allowing three hits with one strikeout and four walks. Junior Walker Sellars pitched a hitless bottom of the sixth.
Moody scored twice in the bottom of the first to make it 2-0, and a Mustangs rally in the seventh fell short.
Whetstone doubled and went to third when Sellars singled to start the final at-bat. Sophomore Cole Norris followed with an RBI-single to make it 2-1, but with two on and no outs the Mustangs went fielder’s choice, popout, fielder’s choice to end it.
Moody 3, Madison Academy 1 (G2): JB Leatherwood threw a complete game to get the win, allowing seven hits while striking out eight and walking one. The Blue Devils managed just two hits, but scored three unearned runs.
Mustangs sophomore starter Weston Todd took the loss in 4.2 innings. He allowed one hit, two unearned runs, struck out eight and walked four. Sophomore Andrew Holder allowed one hit and one unearned, and Moore pitched a seamless seventh.
Madison Academy scored its lone run when back-to-back doubles by Truett Austin and Moore made it 1-0.
The Blue Devils got an unearned run in the second, then went ahead 2-1 with an unearned run in the fifth and scored an earned run on a fielder’s choice in the sixth.
