Festus Takes Doubleheader from Hillsboro 1-0 and 1-0
April 19, 2024 7:52PM CDT
Festus Tiger pitchers who picked up the wins and the saves Friday night in a doubleheader win against Hillsboro. Mason Schirmer, Jackson Smith and Trenton Young. Photo courtesy of Hal Neisler.
(FESTUS) In high school baseball Friday night at Festus, the Festus Tigers took a doubleheader from the Hillsboro Hawks by the scores of 1-0 and 1-0!
The Tigers escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the 7th inning of game 1, the game was broadcast on KJFF 1400 AM and mymoinfo.com
The contest was a pitching masterpiece by Jackson Smith of Festus and Dom Sutton of the Hawks who went the distance.
The Tigers plated their lone run in the second inning as they put together a double, a single, had a runner thrown out at the plate on ground ball to shortstop Gunner Sutton and Trenton Young scored from third on an errant pick off throw from the pitcher past the first baseman. Sutton retired the next two batters to end the the inning.
The Hawks missed scoring opportunities in the 5th, 6th and 7th.
In the fifth, the Hawks had runners at first and second with nobody out but a groundball was hit to Mason Schirmer at first base, he threw to second for one out and then took the return throw a double play. Smith then stuckout out the next batter to retire the Hawks. The double play that began and ended with Schirmer was our Festus Steak and Shake “Shake Up” play of the game.
We asked Schirmer what he was concentrating on when he fielded the ball and threw over to second base.
The Hawks had a chance in the 6th… after one out there was an error allowing a runner to reach first, then a single but that was followed up by a runner was picked off of second baae and then next batter grounded to out to Schirmer at first.
In the bottom of the 7th the Hawks started things off with a single, then a flyout, a walk, a hit batter to load the bases and that caused the Tigers to change pitchers. Trenton Young relieved Smith. Young struckout the first batter he faced. The next batter Max Deranja pulled a groundball to the right side that looked like a possible game winning single but freshman 2nd baseman Brayden Good made a diving play to his left, and threw out Deranja at first by a step to end the game. That play…the last play of the game was our second Festus Steak and Shake “Shake Up” play of the game.
The winning pitcher for Festus was Jackson Smith. He pitched 6 and one third innings, allowed no runs, gave up four hits, the first of which came in the 5th, he walked one, hit a batter and struckout eight.
Dom Sutton took the loss, the one run was unearned. He gave up two hits, walked three and struckout four.
In game two, Mason Schirmer got the win, Young picked up another save and Gavin Hite took the loss.
Hillsboro coach Matt Thompson said the Hawks pitching was good but the Hawks couldn’t come up with big hit when they needed one.
Tigers coach Jeff Montgomery said his team needs to build on these wins.
The Tigers improved their record to 16-5, the Hawks slipped to 11-5.
