Sports

Rebels 1 Game Away from South State Championship

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Former NBA world champion coach Dick Motta once referred to the opera when he said itis not over til the fat lady sings.  She was humming in Baker on Friday night.  The Central Private Rebel baseball team must have not liked the tune because she never sang.  The Rebels scored 4 runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh to beat the Copiah Academy Colonels on Tuesday night by the score of 11-10.  The win gives the Rebels a 1-0 game lead in the South State Championship series between the two teams.
The Copiah Colonels took an early 3-0 lead powered by a two run home run by Hunter Renfroe in the first inning before the Rebels were able to record an out.  The score remained the same until the Rebels evened the score in the third.  Senior Tyler Schultz led off the inning with a double down the left field line.  After a sacrifice bunt by Chase Metz, Schultz was sent home on a single by starting pitcher Gage Wilkinson.  Jacob Fryoux then singled and Thomas Bourgeois singled in Wilkinson. A Seth Stevens single to left field scored Fryoux.
 The Colonels came right back in the fourth and scored on a bases loaded walk to take a one run lead.  They would then explode for six more in the sixth.  Singles by Michael Bagley, Ben Boone, Hunter Renfroe, a double by Scotty Reese, and a wild pitch powered the rally.
As the fat lady warmed up so did the Rebel offense.  Three hit batters and singles by Logan Lewis and Bourgeois put four runs across in the sixth to tighten the ball game.  Ridge Perkins, who had entered the game on the mound in the sixth to put out the fire, pitched a perfect seventh to keep the deficit at three.
With a tense but noisy crowd awaiting, the Rebels picked up where they left off.  A single by Stevens followed by two more hit batters loaded the bases for CP.  An infield single by Metz scored Stevens, and an error led to Perkins scoring. The lead was now only one.  After Fryoux drew a walk, Bourgeois crushed an inside pitch to right field and the Rebels spilled onto the field after Schultz and Metz scored the tying and winning runs.  Bourgeois said, “he (Cougar pitcher Scotty Reese) hung a slider that he was able to pull into right field.”
The never say die Rebels look to clinch the South State Championship with a victory when they travel to Copiah on Thursday.  Hope to see you at the ole ball park.