Ethel baseball played five games in five days and won all five easily, outscoring the opponents 76-4. The Tigers defeated Eupora 12-2 last Thursday, swept a doubleheader from Leake County 16-0 and 17-0 Friday downed Nanih Waiya 9-1 Saturday and defeated McAdams 22-1 Monday.
“We're playing a little better every week, and that's what you are supposed to do this time of the year,” said coach Chris Schuster.
Ethel closed out the Eupora game with four runs in the fifth. Hayden Langford hit a three-run homer, Cyrus Rone had two hits and a walk and scored three runs and Gabe Cain doubled and walked twice.
Kameron McCuller went the distance, allowing two hits and no earned runs, with four strikeouts.
Both Leake County games lasted two and half innings. In the 16-0 game, Eli Ramage and Langford combined for a three-inning no-hitter with six strikeouts. The Tigers had only five hits, but benefited from six walks, four hit batters and four Leake County errors.
Brent Bell was two for two, scored two runs and drove in two.
The 17-0 game was more of the same. Wes Bishop and Luke Gowan combined for a three-inning no-hitter with nine strikeouts. Langford had another three-run homer, Ramage a single and double and McCuller and Rone each doubled.
Nanih Waiya was the only game that went the full seven innings. After Nanih Waiya took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, Ethel tied it with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, scored three runs in the fourth and five in the fifth.
Kaden Adams pitched the first four innings, allowing a run on five hits with four strikeouts. Rone finished up with one hit ball and three strikeouts over the final three innings.
The McAdams game last two innings. Ethel had only four hits, but there were 13 walks, five hit batters and nine McAdams errors. Sixteen Tigers scored runs.
Colin White and Cain each pitched a hitless inning and struck out the side. Two walks and an error resulted in a McAdams run in the second inning.
“I'm really happy with where we are right now because we are able to win games and still not play our best. I've seen us play a lot better,” Schuster said. “Good teams can find ways to win, whether it's hitting, whether it's pitching or base running. If something is not working, they can find another way to win. We don't have to rely on just pitching or hitting. We can find different ways to win. That's what I like about my team.”
The victories over Leake County and McAdams improved Ethel’s Region 4-4A record to 4-0, tied with Sebastopol. The Tigers continued 4-4A play with a game at Noxapater Tuesday and have a home game with Noxapater Friday.
Schuster is looking forward to games with Sebastopol next week -- at home Tuesday and on the road Friday – that should decide the region championship.
The Tigers will host a tournament Saturday, with games against Pelahatchie and St. Andrew's. “It's going to be a fun day,” Schuster said. “I like bringing in teams that give us a challenge.”
