Compton finally gets support, win, in MSC tourney opener

GEORGETOWN, Ky. — Senior Jordan Compton has had one of those seasons that simply leave you scratching your head.

He ended the regular season 0-5, but had posted a miniscule 1.54 ERA with an opposing batting average of only .267.

On Friday afternoon, however, Compton finally got the one thing he’d been missing – timely hitting from his offense and it was all he needed for a 4-2 win over No. 1 seeded Cumberlands in the opening game of the 2008 Mid-South Conference baseball tournament.

Compton simply dazzled on Friday, scattering two hits and striking out 12 in seven innings of work. The only run he allowed was unearned and he walked only one in leading his team to the win.

Compton’s efforts came while his sister Whitney scattered three hits in seven innings of work to lead the Lady Bears to a 3-0 win over Lindsey Wilson in the opening round of the MSC softball tournament on an adjacent field.

“We got the two-out hits today when we needed them and finally gave Jordan the support he deserved,” said Don Ashby, head coach of the Bears. “And he was just fantastic, as he’s been all year long.”

The Bears will now play in Friday’s 2:30 p.m. game where they’ll meet the loser of the Campbellsville/WVU Tech game.

Pikeville posted single runs in four different innings to get the win. The first game in the second, when senior John Williamson tripled to right-center and, two outs later, scored on a wild pitch.

It was a lead the Bears would never relinquish, but they quickly added to it in the third. Brice Fields opened the third reaching on an error and advanced on a sacrifice by Adam Elmer. He scored when Brandon Fleming singled to left to make it 2-0.

The Bears went up 3-0 in the top of the fifth when Fleming again delivered with a run-scoring double to plate Elmer, who had reached on a fielder’s choice.

Cumberlands finally dented the scoreboard in the sixth when Andrew Denton walked. Trea Balzano singled to center to move Denton to third, and when the ball was bobbled, he came in to score to make it 3-1.

Pikeville (10-37-1) got the run back in the top of the eighth. With two outs, Chris Rakes walked. He moved to third on a single by Matt Fleenor and scored on a hit by Ryan Chapman.

Cumberlands (40-11) tried to mount a rallied in the bottom of the ninth off reliever A. J. Elliott. Javier Gali-Rodriquez opened with a walk and when Luis Raffan doubled to right-center, runners were on second and third with none out. An infield single off the bat of Dylan Holt scored Gali-Rodriquez.

But from there, Elliott settled down, recording consecutive strikeouts before inducing leadoff hitter Trevor Urbanick to pop out and end the game.

Fleming and Chapman had two hits apiece for the Bears, who finished with nine for the game. Obed Quiles, Williamson, Rakes, Fleenor and Fields had hits as well for the Bears.

Compton was followed by Elliott, who worked the final two innings for the save. He gave up two hits and an earned run while striking out three and walking three.

Adam Blakey (9-2) took the loss for the Patriots, going 7.2 innings, giving up nine hits and all four run, three of which were earned. He had seven strikeouts and a walk. Adam Blanton followed, going 1.1 innings with two strikeouts and a walk.