Rotary edges Elks 3-2

By SHELIA MADER
Published: May 14, 2008

Dixie Majors Ozone action was in full swing Tuesday night at Optimist Park with four teams vying for the top spot.

In game one, it was Rotary taking a slim 3-2 win over the Elks to gain sole possession of first place, while game two had the Lions take a 10-4 win over Malone.

In game one, Madison Harrell took the mound for Rotary, allowed two runs on four hits, three walks, with three errors behind him and struck out eight. Elks countered with Jonathan Sikes who allowed three runs on three hits, one walk, with five costly errors behind him and struck out six. In the top of the first, Sikes sent one down the third base line for a single and scored on an RBI groundout by Lyle Phelps

With two outs, Kyle Tanner was robbed of a sure double on a diving catch at the fence in center field by Johnathan Mayes to end the inning.  In the bottom of the inning, it was the Gray Gilmore show as all three outs came off the glove and arm of Gilmore.

With one out in the bottom of thesecond inning, Bo Hughes reached on an error at first and advanced to second on the overthrow. Hughes scored on a passed ball.

Austin Nelson later reached on an error on the catcher but a strikeout ended the inning with the game tied at one. Matthew Purvis singled to get things going for Rotary in the bottom of the third and advanced to second on an overthrow at first. With two outs, Kody Bryan doubled to score Purvis but a fly out to short ended the inning with the game at 2-1.

In the top of the fourth inning, with one out, Phelps walked followed by Blake Waters taking first on an error at short. Tanner walked to load the bases but back-to-back strikeouts ended the inning. Tyler Colson started the bottom with a walk and stole second. Heath Roberts was robbed of a hit by a catch in center field but Bo Hughes came through with a double to score Colson to make it a 3-1 game.

The Elks rally fell short in the top of the sixth inning. Sikes hit a shot to left field and reached third on the play. Gilmore sacrificed to short to score Sikes but the next two batters were out to end the game.
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In the nightcap game, it was Trenton Nobles on the mound for the Lions, while Malone countered with Robert Orshall. Malone was three-up, three-down in the first while the Loins plated four runs.

Jeremiah Emanuel walked and Nobles was hit by a pitch. A walk to Andrew Shouse loaded the bases for Walker Roberts’ two-RBI single. Eric Perdue reached on an error in center field to score two runs. Malone plated all four of their runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Seth Blackburn got things started with a walk and moved to second on a walk to Joshua Carr. Austin Lockhart walked to load the bases for a two-RBI single by Orshall. A fielder’s choice by Logan Smith plated two runs.

The Lions answered with two runs in the fourth. Walker Roberts reached on an error and moved to third on a double by Eric Perdue.

Trey Weeks hit into a fielder’s choice that got Roberts trying to score. A single by Luis Martinez scored one and a walk to Michael Lamb loaded the bases.

Weeks scored on a passed ball to make it a 7-4 ballgame after four.

Tyler Henry singled with Antwain Johnson and Jeremy Skipper both drawing walks but no runs scored in the top of the fifth for Malone.

In the bottom of the inning, the Lions added four runs.  Emanuel singled and moved to second on a single by Nic Helms before being thrown out taking third on a throw in from right field.  Helms scored on a double by Nobles and Shouse singled home Nobles. Roberts added another RBI on a single as did Perdue.