COLUMBIA – Team McCarty found different ways to pull away from Team Garner and secure its doubleheader wins on Thursday.
Team McCarty managed to hold off Team Garner in a back-and-forth matchup for the first game of the doubleheader.
In the first inning, Team Garner took an early lead as Kace Garner (Mississippi State) hit a solo home run; however, Team McCarty answered with an RBI single from Andrew Howard (Jones College) to tie the game, 1-1.
Team McCarty then took a 4-1 lead after Team Garner’s relief pitcher Reid Blakely (EMCC) walked two batters to start the fourth inning. Jesse Boydstan (East Central CC) delivered a two-run RBI single along with another run scoring from an error.
In the fifth inning, Eli Harrison (East Central CC) added a crucial run with an RBI single to extend Team McCarty’s lead to 5-1.
At the helm for Team McCarty was Kirk McCarty’s younger brother, Graham, who filled in for his brother. According to Graham, who had helped serve as an assistant coach, the team’s plate discipline was a vital part of the win.
“We were disciplined and got some good hits and good base running,” McCarty said. “We had a lot of doubles and timely hits with runners on base. Eli Harrison worked his tail off behind the plate and came out with two doubles. He works really hard and is a good guy.”
Team Garner staged a late rally in the fifth inning after Team McCarty’s relief pitcher Mason Smith (Pearl River CC) allowed two singles to open the inning. Garner came up with a two-run double, which was followed by an RBI driven in by Coleton Smith (ECCC).
Mason Smith managed to get out of the inning, and in two innings allowed three runs off three hits while walking a batter and striking out two.
Despite the three-run fifth inning, Team McCarty closer Truit Smith (Mississippi College) put the game away and pitched a clean inning.
In the second game, Southern Miss pitcher Hunter Stanley put together another untouchable performance for Team McCarty.
Stanley threw four innings in Game 2, which was one of the longest outings he had thrown since junior college.
“Me and (Southern Miss pitching coach Christian Ostrander) had talked about extending my pitch count this summer,” Stanley said. “We talked about the possibility of starting some next spring, so I just want to get the pitch count up there a little bit.”
In the first four innings, Stanley struck out eight batters, walked three and allowed two hits.
“My fastball (was working), but I kept them off balance with my slider and a couple of changeups,” Stanley said. “(My changeup) is something I have been working on. I haven’t thrown it that much. If I’m going to be starting, I’m going to need that third pitch.”
Stanley helped Team McCarty hold a 2-0 lead after Murray Hutchinson (Jones College) drove in a run with an RBI single with Howard driving in another run in the second inning.
Helping seal the win and sweep was a solo home run by Alden Davis (South Alabama) and another run later scoring from a fielder’s choice in the fifth inning.
Von Seibert, who finished 2-for-2, knocked in a late run for Team Garner with a two-out RBI single, but the effort proved to be too little too late.
