Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
MYRTLE BEACH, SC Morehead (NC) scored eight runs in the sixth inning to remain unbeaten on the year and mercy rule Man, 17-4, in six innings in the South Atlantic Bank Invitational Tuesday afternoon at Loris High School.
The Panthers improved to 10-0 on the year and snapped Man’s five game winning streak dropping the Hillbillies to 7-2 on the season.
Man hung right with the experienced Panthers, who returned nine seniors from last season’s team that went 23-7.
The Hillbillies trailed 3-0 early but plated two runs in the second to close the gap to 3-2 after two and after the Panthers scored four in the top of third, the Hillbillies answered with a two run third of their own and pulled to within 7-4.
Man had the tying run at the plate in the third, but the Hillbillies could get no closer as Morehead gradually pulled away scoring one run in the fifth and nine in the sixth to put the game away.
Carson Moore hit a two-run home run in the Panthers sixth and Seth Sharpe singled home another run for Morehead, who also got a run scoring double off the bat of Lucas Brooks as well as a bases loaded walk to Anderson Nance and a hit by pitch to Brittyn Barnes and scored three runs off Man errors in the inning.
Moore started the Panthers scoring in the first inning when he grounded into a fielder’s choice to give Morehead a 1-0 lead. Zachary Grogan added a two-run single in the second inning to extend the lead to 3-0.
Man got a two-run single from Landon Cantrell in the bottom of the second to close the gap to 3-2 before Morehead crossed the plate four times in the top of the third.
Sharpe’s double plated two runs to get the scoring going for the Panthers and extend the lead to 5-2. Jackson Berger stole home to make it 6-2 and Nance produced a sacrifice fly to give the Panthers a 7-2 lead.
Man came right back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to close the gap to 7-4 as Hunter Gibson singled home a run and Noah Frazier grounded into a fielder’s choice with the bases loaded to bring the Hillbillies within three runs before Sharpe struck out the next two batters in the order to end the Hillbilly threat.
Sharpe earned the win after allowing four runs on eight hits in four innings of work. He struck out seven and walked four.
Braxton Messer suffered the loss for Man after allowing seven runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings for Man. He struck out two, but struggled with command issues and allowed five base on balls and hit one batter.
Barnes singled in the fifth to give the Panthers a four-run lead, which was more than enough run support for Sharpe, who was lifted for Brooks to start the bottom of the fifth.
Brooks allowed one hit in two innings of relief, striking out four and walking three.
Eight different Panthers recorded at least one hit and six drove in at least one run while six players crossed the plate at least two times in the win.
Grogan had one hit, drove in four runs and scored twice while Moore had a home run and three RBIs for Morehead. Sharpe had two hits and three RBIs and Barnes added two hits of his own, drove in two and scored two runs.
The Panthers also got contributions from Brooks with two hits, one RBI and two runs as well as Nance, who despite being held hitless, drove in two runs and scored two. Landon Roberts and Dylan Stallings each had one hit and scored twice, and Briar Woods added one hit for Morehead.
Messer was 2-for-2 at the plate for Man, who also got one hit and two RBIs from Cantrell, and a run scoring singe and two runs scored from Gibson.
Gavyn Cline, Brayden Compton, Cam Gerace, Noah Maynor and Bo Thompson each had one hit for the Hillbillies.
Both teams are scheduled to be back in action Wednesday as Morehead looks to improve to 11-0 with a win over Man’s county rival Logan. Man will take on Jamestown (NY) at North Myrtle Beach High School.
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