By Ed Taylor, Sports Correspondent
April 23, 2008 05:07 pm
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Sophomore Ethan Perry collected three hits and drove in three runs in powering the Lafayette Hornets to a 10-0 win over rival Hamilton County last Friday night in front of a good crowd who gathered for Senior Night.
Five Hornet seniors were recognized just before the first pitch against Hamilton. Playing their final game in front of the Lafayette home crowd were Jon Anderson, who was escorted by his mother Tina Anderson and uncle James Richards. Bubba Fillyaw, escorted by his parents DeAnna and Steve Fillyaw. Also, senior Chad Hempstead who was escorted by his parents, Tammie and Lonnie Hempstead. Ragan Knight was escorted onto the field by his mother Elizabeth Byrd and father Johnny Knight. Matt Milton walked out with his parents, Margarette and Ronnie Milton.
Following the Senior Night festivities, the Hornets put on a show for the home crowd in downing Hamilton County. Chad Hempstead was all business in the five inning affair. Hempstead allowed the visitors but two hits while striking out four and walking but one batter.
Lafayette pounded out 12 hits in closing out their regular season. Besides Perry, Christian Mercedes collected two safeties as did Cody Singletary. Fillyaw, Milton, Hemmpstead, Knight and Anderson had safeties for the Hornets.
The Hornets got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Singletary led off with a double to right centerfield. He came in to score on Mercedes RBI single. Hempstead allowed a lead off single to Hamilton’s Chris Alridge in Hamilton first frame. But Aldridge was erased when the Hornets infield turned a double play. The Hornet right hander gave up a second inning single to Craig Newsome with one out but retired the next two batters on fly outs to rightfielder Anderson.
The only other batter to reach base was Johnson, who drew a one out walk in the third. Hempstead retired the last 11 batters he faced in the game. Perry picked up a two-run single in the second inning to make it a 3-0 game. Hempstead and Anderson drove in a run apiece in the Hornets third inning for a 5-0 score. Lafayette pushed home three runs in the bottom of the fourth in assuming a 8-0 margin.
The Hornets made it a 10-run difference with two in the bottom of the fifth and the 10-run rule took effect ending the game after five innings. Knight and Anderson had back-to-back singles with the tenth run coming home of Fillyaw’s RBI single. Perry picked up his third hit in the fifth inning.
Newsome took the loss for Hamilton County. He allowed 10 runs on 12 hits. He did not strike out a batter and walked four.
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