Big inning lifts NMCC to win over Caruthersville

Wednesday, March 25, 2015
New Madrid County Central's Garrison Keene (19) celebrates with teammates shortly after hitting a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning against Caruthersville on Tuesday. Keene went on to score on the play on a Tiger error. (Brent Shipman photo)

sports@standard-democrat.com

NEW MADRID -- Despite a few mental mistakes, the New Madrid County Central Eagles couldn't have asked for a better to start their season.

Holding a one-run lead going into the fourth, the Eagles broke out for nine runs during a two-out rally to down visiting Caruthersville 12-2 Tuesday in five innings via the mercy rule.

"They get within one run and we come right back and put up a big number there in the bottom of the fourth," NMCC head coach Joseph McClarty said. "We put the game out (of reach). That's what good teams do. We capitalized on some of their mistakes and were very fortunate today."

After cruising to a 3-0 lead with the Tigers showing no signs of offense, the Eagles suddenly saw their lead jeopardized when Caruthersville scored two runs in the top of the fourth. A two-out, bases loaded single from Thomas Young scored both and left the tying and go-ahead runners on base.

NMCC pitcher Palmer Campbell got a fly out to centerfield to end the threat, but the Eagles suddenly found themselves in a much closer ball game.

What looked to be a tame bottom of the fourth escalated quickly after Drew Pikey drew a two-out walk to load the bases. Gage Silman followed up with a two-run single and, two batters later, the bases were once again loaded with Garrison Keene at the plate.

Keene hit a double that cleared the bases before scoring himself on the play thanks to a bad infield throw when the Tigers tried to catch him at second base.

Keene's run made it 9-2 and Kiel Causey kept the good times rolling with a two-run single. Causey scored from third on a infield single from Jake Reed to make it 12-2, putting the mercy rule in effect capping the nine-run, two-out rally.

"They have a tendency where if someone comes within striking distance we try to get those runs back," McClarty said of his team. "Gage came up with a big hit and got the two runs back. We capitalized on some mistakes. Then Garrison Keene, he seems to come up in a big moment with the bases loaded and he does big things."

NMCC out-hit Caruthersville 10-3 in the contest, including a 3 for 3 effort from No. 9 hitter Causey, who drove in three runs and scored twice. Silman was 2 for 3 with a triple and three RBI while Keene was 2 for 3 with a pair of doubles, two runs scored and three driven in.

New Madrid County Central's Grayson York catches a pop fly against Caruthersville Tuesday in New Madrid. (Brent Shipman photo)

Palmer picked up the win in a complete game effort. He retired the first 11 hitters he faced, but hit a bumpy stretch in the fourth.

Two walks and an infield single loaded the bases for Young's big hit that closed the Tigers within a run, 3-2. Palmer responded with a flyout to escape the jam and pitched a scoreless fifth to end the game.

"Couldn't be more proud of the guys," McClarty said. "Proud of the way Palmer pitched and proud of the way all the guys swung the bats today. That was a very good positive out of today."

NMCC's big fourth inning helped the Eagles forget what could have been some costly base running mistakes earlier. Missed signs on balls hit deep to the outfield and on a sacrifice fly cost the Eagles several extra bases.

McClarty credited some of their mistakes to how little time they've been able to spend on the field getting ready for the season and expects these mental mistakes to decrease as they get more games in.

"(We didn't have anything) big and a lot of that that has to do with the fact that nobody has been outside," McClarty said of base running and fielding errors. "We've been outside a handful of days along with a lot of other teams in the area. We're coming out here and it's almost like you're trying to get in a good scrimmage, but your season's actually started."

Now at 1-0, NMCC will visit Kelly Thursday at 4 p.m.

Caruthersville 000 20 - 2 3 7

NMCC 120 9x - 12 10 0

WP -- Palmer Campbell. LP -- Thomas Young. Multiple hitters: (N) Gage Silman 2-3, Garrison Keene 2-3, Kiel Causey 3-3. 2B -- (N) Keene 2, Grayson York. 3B -- (B) Silman.

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