Rick Patrick: Greene Publishing, Inc.
The Madison County High School (MCHS) Cowboys are managing to play well in the games that seem to matter the most, that is, the district games. In spite of struggling against non-district foes, the Cowboys have a 2-0 district record so far this season. The Cowboys won their second district game of the season when they traveled to Jasper to face the Trojans of Hamilton County High School on Thursday, March 8. The Cowboys tallied a team batting average of .412 on their way to a dominant 14-3 win. The Trojans took an early lead of 2-0 after the first inning. However, after a five-run second inning, the Cowboys continued to pour on the heat until a five-run sixth inning cut the game short.
Dilan Lawson went three-for-four at the plate with three RBIs. Logan Lepper went one-for-four with one RBI. Jae Mitchell had three hits in five at-bats with one RBI. “DT” Thompkins was one-for-two with one RBI. Dustin Bass went two-for-five with four RBIs to his credit. Dylan Bass hit two out of three, with one RBI.
Lawson pitched 2.2 innings for the Cowboys, giving up three hits, two earned runs and four strike-outs. Dylan Bass pitched the remaining 3.1 innings, giving up just one hit, no earned runs and registering five strike-outs.
Then, on Friday, March 9, the Cowboy bats cooled off faster than an early March evening, when they went down the road to Live Oak to play the Suwannee County High School Bulldogs. The score was tied at one at the end of the first inning; then the Bulldogs put together a four-run second inning to take the lead. The Cowboys did manage to cut into the Bulldog lead with one run in the fifth, and a two-run rally in the top of the seventh that came up just short. The Bulldogs posted the win with a 5-4 final score.
The one bright spot at the plate for the Cowboys was Dylan Bass, who went two-for-two. Dilan Lawson went one-for-three and brought home the only Cowboy RBI for the evening.
Drew Herring spent two innings on the mound for the Cowboys, giving up six hits, four earned runs and no strike-outs. Thompkins pitched four innings in relief, giving up two hits, zero earned runs and chalking up three strike-outs.
The Cowboys will again be home on Friday, March 23, when they play the Marauders of Maclay School, from Tallahassee. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Cowboys' baseball diamond, on the MCHS campus.