Portageville baseball team falls 6-4 after big East Carter comeback

Bryce Wallace slides into first base in one of his attempts in Monday's sectional game against Ellsinore. He was announced out in his last attempt.

The Portageville baseball team held a comfortable four-run lead in the sixth inning, but a big comeback by East Carter County ended the Bulldogs' hopes in a 6-4 loss in a Class 2 state sectional Monday at East Carter.

The Bulldogs end their season with 19 wins and 9 losses.

"This is one for the coffee shop talk," Portageville coach Lee Wallace said. "It was a tough one to lose."

"There were some plays that did not plan out as we had hoped, for as I told the guys, you have to live with it," Wallace said. "Did they stink? Did they hurt? Yes. But we cannot let them control our game, we have to move on."

Portageville senior Hunter Cook pitched the entire game. He ended the night allowing six runs in seven innings, walking eight and struck out five.

"All it takes is one play to change the outcome of the game, and that happened in the sixth inning. We have a situation at first base in trying to get a runner out, and another one when Bryce was called out. When you have things like that happen. You just have to do the best you can."

Although Hunter Cook ended up on the wrong side of the pitching decision, he played with a dedicated heart.

"As a coach for several years, you get to know your boys and what they are capable of doing and not doing. Hunter has grown a lot the past couple of years, and has the shoulders to carry the load of his team. There were a couple times, I could have changed pitchers, and I knew his capabilities and determinations. I know the critics are saying other things, but that is apart of the game," he said.

Cook allowed six runs in seven innings, walked eight and struck out five.

"Throughout the whole season, he had possible six to eight all season," Wallace said.

Hunter Jackson was hot from the plate for the Bulldogs. Jackson went 2 for 4, drove in one and scored one run. He homered in the second inning and singled in the fifth inning.

The bottom of the second saw the Bulldogs take an early lead, 2-0. A solo blast by Hunter Jackson started the inning off. The Bulldogs then tacked on more runs when Stafford scored on an error.

Logan Saffle got the win in relief for East Carter. Saffle pitched five innings and allowed two runs.

East Carter was sparked by Trever Lewis and Wyatt Kirkman, who teamed up for three hits and four RBIs.

East Carter never surrendered the lead after the sixth inning.

In last week's district action against South Pemiscot, the Portageville Bulldogs found a way to get a walk-off win. Portageville and South Pem traded the lead six times.

The Bulldogs got a popup from Derrick Priggle that turned into a game-winning base hit that scored Cameron West in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Portageville a 5-4 win over South Pemiscot in the Class 2 District 1 Tournament championship game last Tuesday.

Portageville, the tournament's No. 2 seed, reached the district finals by downing third-seeded Campbell 3-2 in eight innings on Monday on another walk-off play.

Portageville pulled out the win thanks to a strong sixth inning. Portageville scored on an RBI single by Ben Story off Jacob Trammel, bringing home Jon Kellams. An RBI single by Story scored Kellams that gave the Bulldogs the lead for good.

Hunter Cook got the win for Portageville as he tossed one inning of shut-out ball. He struck out three, walked non and gave up no hits.

South Pemiscot, the No. 4 seed, took a 4-3 lead in the top of the sixth inning when Logan Carter singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly from David Perry. However, Portageville tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Kellams reached on an error and later scored on a double from Story to tie the score at 4-4, setting the table for the exciting finish.

South Pemiscot trailed 1-0 after three innings, but used a big inning to take the lead in the top of the fourth. Perry walked and later scored on an error to tie the score at 1-1, then after a base hit from Brett Brown and a walk to Carson Yarbrough, Easton Blankenship doubled to score both and give South Pemiscot a 3-1 lead.

But once again, Portageville had an answer in the bottom of the inning. Hunter Cook reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly from Hunter Jackson to make it 3-2, then Chance Howard singled home Kellams to tie the game.

Trammel took the tough loss for South Pemiscot, allowing eight hits, a walk and five runs -- but just one earned -- in six-plus innings.

Ellsinore:

Portageville: