Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
MADISON Bo Thompson struck out 10 Skyhawks in 5 2/3 innings, leading the Man Hillbillies to a 6-2 season opening victory over Scott Thursday night at Scott High School.
Thompson gave up two runs in the sixth inning before Braxton Messer took over in relief with Man leading 4-2. Messer struck out three and didn’t allow a hit in 1 1/3 innings to earn the save.
Thompson allowed five hits and walked four in his 110-pitch outing to start the season.
Cam Gerace was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs and Brayden Compton went 1 for 4 and drove in two runs for the Hillbillies. Lukas Haney had one hit and one RBI and Landon Cantrell had one hit and scored two runs.
Man took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on a two-run single from Compton and a bloop single from Haney.
The Hillbillies added to their lead in the fifth when Cantrell scored on a passed ball to give Man a 4-0 lead.
Thompson retired the first Scott hitters in the bottom of the fifth, before issuing a walk to Nick Miller and a single to Hayden Johnson. Thompson was able to get out of the jam when Gerace cut down Johnson trying to steal second base to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Skyhawks cut the deficit in half when Kedron Elkins doubled with one out to score Ryan Neal and Luke Knight to make it 4-2.
Thompson struck out Carter McClung and walked Austin Light before handing the ball to Messer, who got Jason Ferrell to ground out to second basemen Gavyn Cline to end the inning.
Man regained its four-run lead in the top of the seventh when Gerace singled to scored Cantrell and Messer giving the Hillbillies a 6-2 lead.
Messer struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh for the save.
Louden White allowed four runs, three earned, on five hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out five in a losing effort. Elkins gave up two runs on three hits, walked two and struck out four in 2 1/3 innings.
Elkins led Scott at the plate, going 2 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Knight added two hits and Johnson one hit for the Skyhawks.
Scott (1-1) will host Herbert Hoover on Tuesday while Man (1-0) continues its Boone County swing Monday evening at sectional rival Sherman.
MAN 000 310 2- 6 8 1
SCOTT 000 002 0- 2 5 3
Thompson, Messer (6) and Gerace. White, Elkins (5) and Light. Top hitters- M: Gerace 2-3, double, 2 RBIs; Compton 1-4, 2 RBIs; Haney 1-4, RBI; Cantrell 1-4, 2 runs. S: Elkins 2-3, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs; Knight 2-3, Johnson 1-3.