By By Austin Bishop/Special to The Star
April 10, 2001
Lamar School let its best chance for a rally go by the boards in the bottom of the fourth inning, as visiting Oak Hill Academy used good bullpen work to take a 4-1 win at Jim Wall Field on Monday night.
Oak Hill scored two runs in the top of the third to go up 2-0 and then added a single run to stretch that lead to three in the top of the fourth.
Lamar staring pitcher Jared McKee led off the bottom of the inning by ripping a line shot homer to right field.
After a ground out, catcher Bobby Stone singled and a batter later courtesy runner Randy Boyd Thompson moved to third on a hard single to right by Matt Griffin, knocking Oak Hill starter Justin Davis off the mound.
Dave Nanney took the hill and caught Griffin off first base. While Griffin was in a run down, Thompson took off for home, but was nailed in a close play at the plate. A fly out later the inning was over.
Nanney then ripped a one-out homer in the top of the fifth to go up 4-1.
Despite taking his first loss of the season, McKee (3-1) had a solid outing, walking just one and giving up eight hits. He picked up four strike outs on the night.
The Raiders tried to threaten in the third inning when Justin Brewer ripped a one-out double, but a pair of groundouts sandwiched around a walk left him stranded at third.
Bobby Stone had two singles to lead Lamar at the plate.
Nanney and Brandon McGarity had two hits each to lead Oak Hill in the contest.
Lamar won the B-team game 7-1 behind strong pitching from David Haggard.
The Lamar varsity team hits the road today to face Division 3-AAA foe Copiah Academy at 6 p.m. in a game that was postponed by rain.
Copiah holds a 3-0 lead after one inning of play. The two teams have split two games this year and the Raiders are 2-2 in conference play.