Hawks upset DuPont Manual

What a thrill in the "Ville."

Mark Bandurske

Hawks catcher Lincoln Bingham throws out the DuPont Manual runner.

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Underdogs from the first pitch, LaRue stunned sixth-ranked DuPont Manual Tuesday in Louisville at historical Derby City Field 2-1.

Coach Chris Price was more than pleased with the turnout but credited the win to a great practice Monday.

"That's what happens when we have a good practice," he told his team after the game, "you guys did a great job today."

It is one of those games that the seniors will be telling their kids about in years to come.

"We had fun today," Senior Tyler Hornback said, smiling. "We played really aggressive."

Jay Eastridge said it is important to execute now that LaRue is drawing near to the end of the season and looking to tournament play.

"Coach told us every spot is in jeopardy," Eastridge said, "so we are working on being more prepared mentally and physically for games like this."

LaRue's Christian Seymour started on the mound and worked hard on controlling his pitches and keeping it the strike zone.

"I really worked on control today and tried to get my curve ball working," Seymour said, "and allow the defense to work as well behind me."

Seymour went six and two thirds innings for the Hawks with a strikeout, two walks and allowing only three hits with a stunning pickoff move in the first inning that left the Manual runner frozen in his tracks.

"He's got a real nice pickoff move and does it well," Price said.

Freshman Kyle Sheeran started center field in Seymour's place and showed off his cannon arm in the first inning as a Manual runner tried to tag up from second and was gunned down from deep center on a caught pop fly. Third baseman Max McCubbin was waiting and ready for the tag out.

It was a defensive expo from the Hawks.

In the fourth inning, Manual had runners on first and third with no outs when LaRue's defense kicked in with a caught pop fly caught by Hornback in shallow left center. Manual advanced the runner to second with no throw from the catcher.

Price moved the infield in to try to prevent Manual from scoring. Hornback was fired a grounder at short, he looked the runner at third, and then made the throw to first for the second out keeping the runner at third. Hornback finished the inning with another grounder leaving two Manual runners on base.

"We had to get out of the situation," Hornback said, "I was wanting a ground ball that would help us get out of the inning."

LaRue's only left-handed pitcher, Scott Cox, was given the ball in the bottom of the seventh for the close with two runners on.

After a passed ball that allowed one unearned run, Cox settled in and put the win to rest.

"He came to me and said he was ready," Price said, "and he did a great job in a tight pinch."

LaRue scored in the top of the second from a RBI hit from Cox.

The inning started with a hit by Hornback and then a hit by McCubbin to set up the score. The Hawks didn't score again until the fourth with Justin Chelf slashing a single, stealing second, and then scoring off another single by Eastridge.

The Hawk's traveled to St. Catherine College on Friday to get in their only other game of the week against hosting Marion County. The Knights seized this win 4-0.

"We hit the ball hard several times," Price said, "they just positioned themselves well defensively."

Marion capitalized on their hits leaving only one runner on. LaRue came close on putting runs on the board a few times but ended up leaving four on base.

Eastridge, McCubbin and Kyle Sheeran each drew singles for the Hawks.

District play begins Monday at Caverna High School. The championship game will be Tuesday.