Rebels pick up 3 wins to finish regular season
The Leake Academy Rebels tied a high of 21 regular-season wins as they finished off the regular-season with a three-game sweep of East Rankin.
The Rebels opened the series with a 12-2 win on Tuesday and then won 12-5 on Thursday to secure third in district play. Then on senior night, the Rebels took a 19-8 win to sweep the series and take a six-game winning streak into the playoffs.
Leake improves to 21-6 on the season and will be the No. 3 seed out of district 2-5A and will take on Starkville Academy in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Game 1 is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. and will then move to Starkville on Thursday. Game 2 of the series is set for 4 p.m. and an if-necessary game would follow.
Leake 12, East Rankin 2
The Rebels overcame an early deficit and took a run-rule win over the Patriots on Tuesday.
East Rankin scored both of its runs in the first inning on a two-run home run. But the Rebels answered and scored one in the second, three in the third, five in the fourth and three in the sixth.
The Rebels had 15 hits in the contest as Matthan Weaver was 3-for-3 and scored three runs while Gage Warren was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Jack Harkins was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored while Tyler Winstead was 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Matthew Nowell was 2-for-3 with two RBIs while Tanner Walsworth singled, walked twice and had two RBIs.
Leake 12, East Rankin 5
The Rebels overcame an early deficit and took a seven-run win over the Patriots on Thursday.
East Rankin opened with two in the first and three in the second and led 5-0. But Leake answered with one in the third and three in the fourth to cut the lead to 5-4. The Rebels then scored five in the sixth and three in the seventh to take the win.
Leake had 10 hits and drew nine walks and had four hit batters. Tyler Winstead was 2-for-5 with a home run, two runs scored and four RBIs while Matthew Nowell was 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs. Gage Warren was 2-for-5 with a double, triple and two runs scored while Will Garner was 2-for-3.
Garner started on the mound and pitched a complete game, giving up five runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out six in just 98 pitches.
Leake 19, East Rankin 8
The Rebels started fast and cruised to a six-inning, run-rule win over the Patriots on Friday to sweep the series.
Leake opened with 13 runs in the first inning and led 13-1 after three innings. East Rankin then scored seven in the fourth to cut the margin to 13-8 but the Rebels then scored four in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth and sixth innings.
Leake had 18 hits and took advantage of seven walks and three hit batters. Jack Harkins was 3-for-3, doubled, was hit twice and scored three runs while Tyler Winstead continued hit hot hitting, going 3-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. Matthew Nowell was 3-for-5 with a triple and four RBIs while Caden Stovall was 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Tanner Walsworth was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Matthan Weaver singled, walked four times and scored three times while Gage Warren doubled, scored twice and had two RBIs. Easton Page also had a double for the Rebels.
Senior Trey Clark started on the mound and pitched three solid innings, giving up one run on two hits and two walks while striking out four to get the win. Page pitched one inning but struggled, giving up seven runs on four hits and two walks. Nowell came in and pitched the last two innings and scattered three hits to finish out for the Rebels.