Leake Academy advances after besting Lamar
The Leake Academy baseball team continues to make school history. The Rebels won their 10th straight game as they beat Lamar School 12-7 on Tuesday and 6-4 on Wednesday to sweep the second-round playoff series.
Leake improves to 25-6 on the season and will play defending state champion Magnolia Heights in the Class 5A North State championship series. Game 1 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday in Madden while games 2 and 3 would be at Magnolia Heights on Thursday.
Leake 12, Lamar 7
The Rebels overcame an early deficit and called late to take a five-run win over the Raiders in the first game of the series on Tuesday.
Lamar scored four runs in the top of the first while Leake answered with two in the bottom of the frame to cut the lead to 4-2. Lamar then scored three runs in the top of the second and led 7-2 after two innings.
But Leake then turned to Majure Chandler, who had pitched just 1 2/3 inning going into the game. Chandler then pitched five scoreless innings in relief to get the win. In the meantime, Leake scored one in the third and two in the fourth to cut the margin to 7-5. The Rebels then exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the seventh with big two-run hits by Gage Warren and Matthew Nowell. Chandler then got the last three outs to take the win for Leake.
The Rebels had nine hits in the contest as Tanner Walsworth was 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Nowell was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Chandler and Warren each had one hit and two RBIs while Matthan Weaver doubled, walked twice and scored two runs. Jack Harkins and Easton Page each scored two runs for the Rebels.
Nowell started on the mound but struggled as he gave up seven runs on five hits and seven walks in two innings. Chandler pitched the last five innings and gave up two hits and four walks while striking out four.
Leake 6, Lamar 4
The Rebels needed extra innings but took a two-run win over the Raiders to sweep the series on Wednesday.
Leake scored one in the fourth and fifth to tie the game at 2-2. The Rebels scored two in the sixth to take the lead but Lamar answered with two in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the eighth, Majure Chandler led off the inning with a double and Gage Warren followed with a single. Will Garnet then hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Chandler. Easton Page then doubled to left field to score Warren to give Leake the two-run lead.
Garner pitched the first seven innings for Leake, giving up four runs on 10 hits while striking out five. Page came in and pitched the eighth, giving up one hit and one walk while striking out two to get the win.
Leake had 10 hits in the contest and every starter had at least one hit. Tyler Winstead was 2-for-4 while Matthan Weaver hit a solo home run, his first of the season. Page, Chandler and Garner all had doubles while Page had two RBIs.