Magnificent!
Cain Smith threw a one-hitter Monday in Morgantown, and the Cougars pushed across three runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Butler County Bears 3-0 in a crucial 12th District game.
Smith was nearly untouchable, striking out 11 Bear batters. The only hit he allowed came in the third inning when center-fielder Carter Graham laced a low line drive that landed just in front of Cougar center fielder Damon Simon.
The Bears had only five base runners all night. Smith hit two batters in the first inning, and walked a batter in the seventh. The other base runner was aboard in the fourth on a Cougar error by second baseman Alex Scott.
In three 12th District games this season, Smith has thrown 21 2/3 innings, allowing just three runs while striking out 33 batters. In the last 15 District innings, he has allowed just four hits and has struck out 20.
Meanwhile, Bear hurler Warren Cameron was mowing down the Cougars. Through seven innings, Cameron had allowed just three hits, walked no one and had struck out two. But in the eighth, his control left him.
Cameron plunked leadoff hitter Noah Bullock with a pitch before Simon popped out to third for the first out of the inning. Bullock stole second base, then moved to third on a wild pitch.
Cameron followed by walking Briley Napier, putting runners at first and third and bringing Smith to the plate. Smith had already turned around two Cameron fastballs for solid base hits, so Bear coach Keith Butler elected to intentionally walk Smith, even though it loaded the bases with just one out.
That brought up Cougar third-baseman, Dane Hawkins. Cameron went to a 3-2 count on Hawkins before delivering ball four to drive in what turned out to be the winning run.
Butler then replaced Cameron on the mound with Eli Lewis to face right-fielder Andrew Haycraft. Lewis went to a 2-0 count to Haycraft before Haycraft drove a ball into the gap in right-center, plating two more runs and leaving runners at second and third.
Lewis settled down to strike out Caden Woodcock and get Kyle Davis to ground out to end the inning, but the damage had been done.
In the eighth, Smith got Landon Cardwell on a hard-hit come-backer, then struck out Duane Daniels and Chandler Castlen to end the game.
These same two teams will play again this evening at Don Lee Field with the top seed in the 12th District Tournament on the line. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
