Cashion takes pitchers' duel with District Five
By By Marty Stamper/EMG sports assistant
June 22, 2002
Clinton's Mike Cashion didn't get the best start out of the gate in Friday's State Games baseball contest, but before the game ended, he had hurled District Six to a 3-1 winners' bracket victory over District Five.
District Five returns to action today at 10 a.m. against District Eight. District Six remains unbeaten and will play today at 4 p.m.
Cashion finished with a three-hit complete game. He struck out five and walked four. Three of the walks came in the first two innings. His only run allowed was unearned.
Quitman's Jonathan Russell owned the first three innings of the contest as he retired the first nine batters he faced. Dillon Sudduth of Madison Central drew a walk to lead off the fourth and end the perfect game bid. Brett Bukvich of Northwest Rankin threatened to end the no-hitter, but Jody Blount of Union hauled in his bid for a two-run homer on the warning track in right field.
After Logan Power of Hillcrest Christian reached on a one-out error, District Six put together back-to-back hits by Matt Page of Northwest Rankin and Jason Stewart of Pearl to chase Russell. Stewart fouled off several pitches before singling to right field to drive in Power for a 1-1 tie.
Russell tossed 4.1 innings, allowing three runs (two of which were earned) on two hits and one walk. He struck out four.
Justin Henry of Vicksburg then greeted reliever Drew Anderson of Northeast Lauderdale for an RBI-single to give District Six a 2-1 lead. Sudduth followed with an RBI-double as the Jackson-area team collected four straight hits, its only hits of the game.
Once he had the lead, Cashion wasn't about to give it up.
The game had no multiple hitters. Sudduth had a double for District Six with Page, Stewart, and Henry each having a single.
Buddy Wyrick of Laurel had a double for District Five. Bo Davis of West Lauderdale and Brett Jones of Laurel both had a single. Davis scored District Five's only run when he led off the game with a single and crossed the plate on an error on a ground ball by Jones.
