Raiders advance to district semifinals
By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer
Daily Journal Sports Writer
May 11, 2008 - 01:14:31 CDT
FARMINGTON — The North County scored three runs with the help of three doubles in the third inning, and received another strong effort from unbeaten pitcher Nick Howlett on Saturday in a 4-2 triumph over Potosi during Class 3, District 2 opening-round action.
Howlett (6-0) scattered four hits and issued two walks while striking out six for the complete-game victory, retiring 14 of 15 Potosi batters during one stretch. Howlett also went 2-for-2 with a triple at the plate.
Jordan Thompson and Derek Gibson each finished 2-for-3 with a double, and Matt Bone delivered a key two-run double for the Raiders (15-4), who will battle top-seeded Festus in a semifinal contest on Tuesday.
Potosi infielder Landon Young reached safely on the lone error of the day to lead off the game, but a subsequent double play began a series of ground outs induced by Howlett.
North County used a pair of infield singles to grab the lead during the first inning. Thompson scored as Gibson collected his first of two RBI on a slow roller past the mound.
Extra-base power would help North County extend the margin in the third against Potosi hurler Kyle Marler (4-5). Back-to-back doubles to right-center field by Thompson and Gibson made the score 2-0.
A failed squeeze attempt resulted in a key fielder’s choice at home plate for the second out, but Bone slashed an outside pitch down the right-field line to bring home both Chris Horton and Jake Cavins.
Chad Smith kept the North County offense at bay over three innings of relief, pitching around singles from John Wigger and Will Swafford in the sixth after Potosi (12-11) mounted a comeback threat in the top of the stanza.
Andy Reed lined a lead-off single to center, and scored when Young drilled his third home run of the season over the wall in left-center, cutting the Potosi deficit in half.
Smith followed with a double and Brad Wright walked with two outs, but the tying runs were eventually stranded on base. Howlett closed the victory with a strikeout after walking Reed in the seventh.
Cavins made two excellent fielding plays in the fourth before Tanner Glore singled for the first Potosi hit. Matt Robinson added a single for the Raiders, who defeated the Trojans for the second time in three meetings this season.
Festus started the opening round with a 5-0 win over St. Pius on Saturday.
Potosi 000 002 0 - 2 4 0
North County 103 000 x - 4 10 1
WP - Howlett 7i 2r 4h 6k 2bb.
LP - Marler 3i 4r 6h 3k 1bb 1hb.
Hitting:
Potosi - Reed 1-2, Young 1-3, Smith 1-3, Glore 1-3. HR - Young (3).
North County - Howlett 2-2, Gibson 2-3, Thompson 2-3, Bone 1-3, Wigger 1-3, Swofford 1-3, Robinson 1-4. 2b - Thompson, Gibson, Bone. 3b - Howlett.
Copyright ©
Daily Journal Online. All rights reserved.
http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/articles/2008/05/11/sports/doc48267db42ae25213620103.txt
Howlett (6-0) scattered four hits and issued two walks while striking out six for the complete-game victory, retiring 14 of 15 Potosi batters during one stretch. Howlett also went 2-for-2 with a triple at the plate.
Jordan Thompson and Derek Gibson each finished 2-for-3 with a double, and Matt Bone delivered a key two-run double for the Raiders (15-4), who will battle top-seeded Festus in a semifinal contest on Tuesday.
Potosi infielder Landon Young reached safely on the lone error of the day to lead off the game, but a subsequent double play began a series of ground outs induced by Howlett.
North County used a pair of infield singles to grab the lead during the first inning. Thompson scored as Gibson collected his first of two RBI on a slow roller past the mound.
Extra-base power would help North County extend the margin in the third against Potosi hurler Kyle Marler (4-5). Back-to-back doubles to right-center field by Thompson and Gibson made the score 2-0.
A failed squeeze attempt resulted in a key fielder’s choice at home plate for the second out, but Bone slashed an outside pitch down the right-field line to bring home both Chris Horton and Jake Cavins.
Chad Smith kept the North County offense at bay over three innings of relief, pitching around singles from John Wigger and Will Swafford in the sixth after Potosi (12-11) mounted a comeback threat in the top of the stanza.
Andy Reed lined a lead-off single to center, and scored when Young drilled his third home run of the season over the wall in left-center, cutting the Potosi deficit in half.
Smith followed with a double and Brad Wright walked with two outs, but the tying runs were eventually stranded on base. Howlett closed the victory with a strikeout after walking Reed in the seventh.
Cavins made two excellent fielding plays in the fourth before Tanner Glore singled for the first Potosi hit. Matt Robinson added a single for the Raiders, who defeated the Trojans for the second time in three meetings this season.
Festus started the opening round with a 5-0 win over St. Pius on Saturday.
Potosi 000 002 0 - 2 4 0
North County 103 000 x - 4 10 1
WP - Howlett 7i 2r 4h 6k 2bb.
LP - Marler 3i 4r 6h 3k 1bb 1hb.
Hitting:
Potosi - Reed 1-2, Young 1-3, Smith 1-3, Glore 1-3. HR - Young (3).
North County - Howlett 2-2, Gibson 2-3, Thompson 2-3, Bone 1-3, Wigger 1-3, Swofford 1-3, Robinson 1-4. 2b - Thompson, Gibson, Bone. 3b - Howlett.