Billies move up in the conference rankings entering the final week of season

Posted

The Monticello Billies have rebounded after two conference losses to run off four consecutive conference wins, including a 9-0 win on the road over Camden Fairview who is ranked at the top of the 8-4A.

After defeating Magnolia on April 15, the Billies would travel to Camden Fairview to face the Cardinals for the second time this season, having defeated the Cardinals earlier in the season.

The Billies would score one run in the top of the first inning.

Doerian Allen led off by being hit by a pitch and advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Warren Pennington. After the second out of the inning, Tucker Breedlove reached on an error allowing Allen to score for the 1-0 lead.

Breedlove would get the Cardinals out in order in the bottom half of the inning.

The Billies would extend their lead in the top of the third inning. John Frost would single to right field with Brooks Bowman and John Michael Efird drawing walks.

Frost would score on a wild pitch and Allen would single to score Efird and Bowman. Allen would score on a wild pitch to give the Billies a 5-0 lead.

Monticello added three more runs in the top of the sixth inning on scores by Brooks Harvey, Brooks Bowman, and Allen and would add their final run in the top of the seventh inning after Bowman scored on a wild pitch to set up the final score of 9-0.

Breeedlove would pitch the complete seven innings, shutting the Cardinals out and only allowing four hits and recording eight strikeouts.

The Billies travelled to Hamburg on Thursday, April 21. Jagger Hines would take the mound for the Billies, pitching five complete innings, allowing two runs on two hits, walking five, and striking out four in the 17-2 victory for the Billies.

After a ground out, the Billies would get singles from Pennington and Cade Pigott. Breedlove would hit into a fielder’s choice for the second out of the inning that allowed Pennington to score. Brenden Brown and Frost connected for singles to score Breedlove.

The Billies would finish the inning scoring 10 runs to take a 10-0 lead.

The Billies added three runs in the top of the second to go up 13-0 after scores by RJ Blackmon, Bowman, and Harvey.

Hamburg would score their only runs of the contest in the bottom of the third inning to cut the Billie lead to 13-2 but the Billies would score four runs in the top of the fourth inning.

Samuel Napier led off the inning reaching on an error. Allen would walk and Pennington was hit by a pitch. Pigott would draw a walk scoring Blaine Hayden. Efird would walk to score Allen, and a single by Brenden Brown scored Pigott and Pennington to set up the final score of 17-2.

The Billies fourth consecutive victory came on the road on Tuesday, April 26, as the Billies travelled to Warren to face the Lumberjacks.

Doerian Allen would lead off the contest with a solo homerun.

The Lumberjacks would take the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring two runs for a 2-1 lead.

Allen would lead off the top of the sixth inning with a walk and steal second base followed by advancing to third on an error. Warren Pennington would hit a sacrifice fly that scored Allen.

Pigott singled but was picked off on a throw to first base. Breedlove singled and a double by Brenden Brown would score Blaine Hayden to give the Billies a 3-2 lead, the score would be the final of the contest with the Billies taking the victory.

As a team, the Billies went 5 for 23 at the plate scoring three runs on, walking three times, and striking out four.

Tucker Breedlove started the game for the Billies, pitching 6.2 innings allowing seven hits and giving up two runs, walking one and striking out six. Jagger Hines pitched .1 of an inning striking out one batter.

The Billies will return to Monticello to face Watson Chapel on Thursday, April 28, at 5pm and will play their final regular season conference contest on Saturday, April 30, hosting the Crossett Eagles with a 1pm start time.

The Billies have qualified for post-season play.