RACELAND Raceland officials decided to turn the field lights on late Monday evening.
The sun hadn’t set when Bryer Parsons turned out the lights on visiting Lewis County with a complete-game victory.
The junior allowed just three hits, struck out six and retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. He sent down the final two batters on punchouts in the Rams’ 4-1 win on the home turf.
“We just played 17 innings last Saturday,” Raceland coach Marty Mills said. “We threw eight or nine different people. Bryer did a great job of keeping (hitters) off-balanced. He’s a really good and effective pitcher. I was really proud of him tonight. His composure was good. It was exactly what we needed tonight.”
With Parsons going the distance, it eases the rotation calculations for Mills as Raceland faces its most important stretch of the regular season.
The Rams and Lions began 63rd District seeding games on Monday and the two teams meet again tonight in Vanceburg.
Raceland hosts the 15th Region champion this week in the All “A” Classic state sectional. Pikeville, a top 10 team, will be the favorite to travel to Raceland for a chance to move on to Richmond. Eastern Kentucky University will host the remainder of the state tournament. The 15th Region All “A” Classic will conclude tonight.
“These three weeks, every year it’s our gauntlet,” Mills said. “If we keep advancing in the All “A” Classic, you bullpen, pick and choose and you have to have complimentary bullpen guys. For the next three and half weeks, that’s what we will do. Bryer stepped up tonight.”
Lewis County countered with Kaysen Roberts on the bump. He fell behind early but kept the Rams’ offense grounded and didn’t allow the margin to expand with a big inning. He allowed six hits over six innings. He struck out seven.
“You want your 1 and 2 guys out there to start and get deep into games,” Lewis County coach Sammy Holder said. “You want your strong arms to go deep and Kaysen did a great job of that tonight. He gave us every chance to win. We will roll Xavier (Prater) out there tomorrow night. You have to lean on your horses.”
“It’s something that we talked about (on Sunday),” he added. “Raceland forces pressure so much. We’ve talked about getting the first guy out every inning. If you can have nobody on with one out, it changes things a bit. I thought he did a great job. You have to field the ball. They are going to bunt. They are going to run. You have to be fundamentally sound. When they give you an out, you have to take it.”
Raceland (17-2) recorded its lowest run output of the season but found a way to manufacture offense without the ball leaving the infield.
The Rams secured an insurance run in the sixth inning after Zane Bailey opened the frame with a single. A stolen base and a bunt single from Parker Ison moved Bailey to third.
Ison casually took off for second base in an apparent double steal attempt. The move drew a balk from the Lions pitchers, allowing Bailey to cross home plate.
Michael Pennington bunted his way on in the third inning. Parker Fannin belted a base hit over the center fielder’s head and it went the wall for an RBI triple. Kadin Shore continued the small ball with a squeeze play to drive in Fannin.
“We have kids that can smack the ball all over the yard,” Mills said, “especially this year than the last couple of years. We will do whatever the game requires. If we need to drag, we will do that. If it’s putting the ball opposite, we will do that. It’s the one thing that we’ve been able to do for a few years now. Our kids understand that you are playing within the game. Whatever the game dictates, we are equipped to do.”
Fannin scored again in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly from Shore. Fannin was 2 for 3. Brayden Webb walked three times and Shore acquired two RBIs without a hit.
“All of our kids, 1 through 9, are all going to bunt and put the ball in play,” Mills said. “We have four or five guys that can knock it out of the yard. Whatever slot you are hitting in, it doesn’t really matter. Lewis County did a great job. Their (pitcher) did a great job on the mound. He mixed his pitches up. The defense played well behind him.”
Lewis County (6-6) tallied its only run in the fourth stanza. Braxton Egbert was 2 for 3 with a double. The two-bagger put runners at second and third and Roberts scored on a groundout.
Cam Farris also doubled for the Lions.
“It’s what we want from the bottom of our lineup,” Holder said. “Eggy has been swinging a good stick. Cam has been having good at-bats and they put them together. I thought the front end of our lineup didn’t do as well tonight. We have to put a whole lineup together. We have to put the pressure back on them. I thought we swung at a few pitches that were out of our zone. We have to be disciplined hitters and hit the ball the opposite way into some gaps and be a more versatile player.”
Russell and Greenup split their opening 63rd District seeding series.
The Musketeers won 9-3 on the road Monday. The Red Devils regrouped to take a 5-0 win in Lloyd.
The two teams meet again on Tuesday on the same field. Lewis County still had water on its home turf. The Rams won 10-6 to take an early 2-0 district record.
LEWIS CO. 000 100 0 — 1 3 1
RACELAND 002 011 X — 4 6 1
Roberts and Tackett; Parsons and Lynd. W—Parsons. L—Roberts. 2B—Egbert (LC), Farris (LC), Lynd (R). 3B—Fannin (R).
