Hamilton wins No. 100 as Vina pounds Speake
By Staff
Mike Self FCT Sports Editor
Rodney Barnes struck out 11 batters in a complete game on Monday as the Vina Red Devils gave coach Greg Hamilton his 100th career win at the school with an 11-1 rout of Speake.
"I wasn't really thinking about it, but the kids reminded me as soon as it was over," said Hamilton, who is looking to lead Vina into the Class 1A playoffs for a third straight season. "They deserve all the credit. It's definitely nothing I've done. It's just a number. I'm sure it will mean more later on, but right now I'm concerned with getting us where we need to be as a team."
Barnes (1-0) scattered six hits and walked just two in seven innings. The only run he allowed was unearned.
"I was really pleased with the way Rodney pitched today," Hamilton said. "I thought all our guys played hard."
Vina (2-0) was leading just 3-1 when Speake loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning. Barnes induced a 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam, and the Red Devils then broke the game open with six runs in the top of the fourth.
"That was a real positive for us," Hamilton said. "We turned that double play, and then we came to bat and scored six runs. It was the turning point of the game."
Kyle Green and Randy Barnes started the six-run rally with base hits, and Green scored when Blake Thorn reached on an error. Paul Wilkins followed with a two-run triple and then came home on a double by Max Weeks to make it 7-1.
After Corey Scott was hit by a pitch, Luke Childers singled to load the bases. Rodney Barnes delivered a two-run single to make it 9-1.
Vina tacked on two more runs in the seventh and finished with 12 hits.
Scott was 2-for-2 with two triples and two RBIs, and Weeks went 2-for-5 with three runs scored. Childers was also 2-for-5, and Rodney Barnes was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Wilkins, Green, Randy Barnes and Thorn each added one hit.
Vina was scheduled to face Speake again on Tuesday.
The Red Devils will travel to face Decatur Heritage on Saturday.
In other action on Monday:
Junior High
Vina 13 Speake 1
Brent Townsend struck out eight batters and allowed only two hits in five innings, and Kirby Swinney hit an inside-the-park grand slam for the Red Devils.
Townsend, Morgan McCarley and Cass White each had multiple hits for Vina.
