Home runs were flying into the rock pile, into the trees and into the dumpsters at Warren County Fairgrounds. That can only mean men’s Church League softball is back in the swing of things.
Four men’s games were played at Warren County Fairgrounds Tuesday night, with three ending by run rule and one going down to the wire.
First Assembly started the night of blowouts with a 20-6 victory over First Baptist. Centertown followed by beating the Christian Warriors 20-6 as well before the Believers bashed Morrison 27-11. The lone close game was Covenant holding on to defeat Madison Street 16-15.
Despite a slow start, First Assembly was able to top First Baptist behind three six-run innings.
Ricky Talbert jump-started a six-run third inning with a double, one of nine hits for First Assembly in the inning. Tyler Hillis’ two-run double and Ray Talbert’s two-run single capped the rally as First Assembly took an 8-1 lead.
A bases-loaded single by Brandon Marcum and two-run single by Randal Harrell helped build the lead to 14-2 after four innings.
Home runs by Chris Hennessee and Jordan Powers gave First Assembly a commanding 20-2 lead entering the bottom of the fifth, when First Baptist would finally string some offense together.
Run-scoring singles by Caleb Northcutt, Chase McGee and Dustin Rhea weren’t enough though as First Baptist lost 20-6.
Harrell, Powers, Hillis and Marcum led First Assembly with four hits each. McGee finished 3-for-3 for First Baptist.
Centertown followed a similar pattern in its win over the Warriors. Centertown scored 12 runs in the fourth and fifth innings while cruising to victory.
Kyle Fisher’s bases-loaded double in the fourth capped a six-run inning that featured RBI singles from Zack Fisher, Thomas Mullins and Daniel Wilson. The rally put Centertown up 14-2 entering the fifth inning.
The top of the order was pivotal again in the fifth as Zack Fisher and Kevin Miller brought in runs with singles before Matt Wilson made it 20-2 with his fourth hit.
The Warriors came back with a two-run double from Jeff Ferguson and RBI singles by Matthew Rigsby and Jason Jacobs in the fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough to extend the game.
Brothers Matt Wilson and Daniel Wilson led Centertown to victory with four hits each. Jacobs had two hits to lead the Warriors.
The Believers didn’t waste much time putting away Morrison in their battle. The Believers scored 14 runs in the first inning en route to a 16-run victory.
Bubba Lee, Omar Benitez, Richard Felty, Jared Underwood and Scott Harrell each had two hits in the opening inning as the Believers built its big lead.
Morrison slowly climbed back in the game, including drawing to within 11 after a three-run home run by Scott Elam in the fourth inning, but it would never get any closer.
The Believers put the game away with six runs in the fifth inning, getting RBI doubles from Benitez, Felty and Underwood in the frame.
Benitez and Underwood led the charge with 5-for-5 nights. Kendal Wooten finished with three hits, including a three-run home run. Elam led Morrison with two hits.
By the time Covenant plated nine runs in the second inning and Scott Rubley hit a towering two-run home run in the fourth, the team looked like it had secured a win over Madison Street. It would go down to the wire though, with Madison Street having a shot to tie in the final inning.
After time expired in the sixth inning with Covenant leading 16-10, Madison Street made a final charge. Dustin Lee drew a one-out walk to spark the team. Aubrey Greene followed with a single, but a flyout pushed the team to the brink.
Darren Wells came through in the clutch, hitting an RBI single. Bryan Bouldin followed by drawing a walk to load the bases. Brian Scott would clear the bases with a double, making it 16-14.
Terry Beard followed with a clutch RBI single to bring his team within one and send the winning run to the plate. Mitchell Steiner couldn’t come through though as he popped out to end the game.
Seven Covenant players finished with three hits each, including Rubley. Steiner and Cody Fitts had three hits apiece for Madison Street.