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Monroe baseball beats Madison in five innings

The first meeting between the two was a great game, but with Madison County issuing 11 walks on the night, William Monroe’s eight hits proved to be damaging in a runaway second encounter. And with the Dragons pitching staff giving up just three hits, visiting Monroe was able to pick up the season sweep of its rival with an 11-1 win in five innings.

 

“We came to play and had some clutch hits,” said Dragons coach Mike Maynard. “We wanted to hit well tonight so we wouldn’t have to use our number one or two pitchers at all. We really wanted to line ourselves up right for the Conference 28 tournament coming up. We drew a lot of walks and that helped a lot when started hitting.”

 

The offensive outburst took place in the third and fourth innings for Monroe. Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, the Dragons got a 2-run single from RJ Payne to take the lead. With a 2-out RBI double from Jonathan Sexton followed by an RBI single from Tyler Gentry, the Monroe lead was at 4-1.

 

“I think (the offense) started coming when we finally realized that this was the last time our seniors were getting to play Madison,” Sexton said. “The young kids, we had to step it up for them tonight.”

 

The 7-run fourth started with a Sal Coyle walk. Coyle scored later on a wild pitch. A bases loaded walk to Zach Miller made it 6-1. Then Sexton delivered an RBI single and was again followed by an RBI single from Gentry. Reilly Owen picked up an RBI sacrifice fly to set up Alex Kinsey for a 2-run single to make it 11-1.

 

“It feels like we’re getting to the same place now just like we did last year,” Sexton said. “Most of us are sophomores but we feel like we’re juniors or seniors because of last year and getting all the experience. We’ve all been playing together since we were 10 years old and it just feels like it’s all falling into place again.”

 

With conference play looming for both squads on Thursday, it was a night of platooning pitching staffs.

 

Monroe’s Lance Tate got the start and gave up just one run and three hits while striking out four batters over two innings. Sal Coyle finished off the last three innings with no hits or walks and a pair of strikeouts.

 

Madison’s Zach Adams threw the first inning and a third, giving up no hits. Josh Breeden threw the last inning, and managed to get out of the fifth without surrendering any runs despite giving up two hits and issuing a pair of walks.

 

For the Dragons, Payne, and Sexton were both 2-for-3 with two RBI. Gentry was 2-for-2 with two RBI. Alex Kinsey was 1-for-2 with two RBI.

 

Madison picked up its lone run in the bottom of the first with Zach Adams picking up an RBI ground out after a Chris Smith single. The Mountaineers’ Smith, Isaiah Breckenridge and Jon Miller accounted for the team’s’ three hits.

 

Madison will face Central Woodstock on the road on Tuesday to wrap up its regular season. Monroe hosts George Mason for its senior night, also on Tuesday.

 

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