Happy Gilmore

East Prairie's Gilmore sures up Eagle win over Kelly

sports@standard-democrat.com

BENTON -- After surrendering a combined 29 runs in their last three games, the East Prairie Eagles were in need of a solid pitching performance Friday as they looked to right the ship against Kelly.

What they got was a complete game, two-hit effort from sophomore Tyler Gilmore to guide the Eagles to a 5-2 win over the Hawks on the opening day of the Charleston Lucky 13 Classic wood bat tournament.

"We were due for a win and got a great pitching performance from Tyler," East Prairie head coach Gary Scott said. "We just played good defense behind him and hit the ball a little bit so I'm really proud of our effort."

Both of the Hawks' runs came in the early stages of the contest, with a balk from Gilmore with a runner at third base giving Kelly a 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the third.

East Prairie (3-8) responded in the top of the fifth frame when a leadoff error by the Hawks (3-7) allowed Mack Marcum to steal third base, where he was driven in by a base hit from Gilmore.

Dustin Bryars lined a single to left field to put a pair of runners on before a walk loaded the bases. A ground ball up the middle by Brett Ellis gave the Eagles their first lead of the contest with Seth Johnson capping the three-run rally with an RBI single to make it 4-2.

"We've been waiting on that all year," Scott said. "We get guys in scoring position and haven't been coming up with those hits. Today we had some kids come through with some big hits and that's the difference in the game."

In the next inning, a pair of Kelly errors allowed East Prairie to plate one final run that extended their lead, 5-2, while leaving the Hawks with only two trips to the plate to make up the difference.

Kelly made some noise in each of the final two innings, even bringing the tying run to the plate in the sixth. Gilmore ended the threat with a strikeout, however, before forcing Kelly to strand a runner in the seventh to end the game.

Gilmore finished with nine strikeouts while giving up two walks and hitting a batter.

"He made the big pitches when he needed to," Scott said of Gilmore. "He battled and done a great job today."

On the other end, Kelly starter Aaron Grainger took the loss. He went all seven innings where he gave up eight hits and two walks while fanning six.

Not helping Grainger's effort was four fielding errors by the Hawks that put runners on base throughout the contest.

"We know what we're going to get when Aaron is on the mound," Kelly head coach Josh Eftink said. "He's going to throw a lot of strikes and we're going to have to make plays behind him.

"Unfortunately we didn't make enough plays, especially when it gets magnified with wood bats because every run is big."

At the plate, the Eagles out-hit the Hawks 8-2 with Johnson leading the way by going 3 for 4 at the plate and driving in a run. Dylan Lingle had the team's only extra-base hit, a double.

For Kelly, Brent Forck had both the team's hits in a 2 for 3 effort that included scoring one of the team's runs.

"We're missing the key hit," Eftink said. "For somebody to step up and get that big hit, Because once you get that big hit it carries over and you keep rolling.

"We didn't have that hit to get us excited and back in the game."

East Prairie 100 031 0 - 5

Kelly 101 000 0 - 2

WP -- Tyler Gilmore. LP -- Aaron Grainger. Multiple hitters: (E) Seth Johnson 3-4; (K) Brent Forck 2-3. 2B -- (E) Dylan Lingle.