Quitman Invitational opens with four matches
By By Carver Rayburn / staff writer
March 11, 2003
QUITMAN The Quitman Invitational kicked off Monday at Quitman High School with four games taking place.
Northeast Lauderdale (6-2) took on Newton in game three and held on for the victory, 8-5.
The Trojans spread out their run-support with two in the first, four in the third, one in the sixth and one in the seventh.
Senior Fred Fulton pitched five innings for Northeast, giving up five runs on 11 hits and striking out five. Freshman Nathan Peden came in for two innings of relief. Peden gave up two hits and struck out four.
The Trojans wasted little time putting runs on the scoreboard with two in the first.
After center fielder Ryan Stewart reached first on a throwing error and Cory Chance produced an infield single, senior Drew Anderson came up with a big hit for Northeast. Anderson blasted a double to left-center to bring two Trojan base runners across the plate.
The Tigers came right back in the bottom of the first with an RBI single by first baseman Lucas Poole.
Northeast lead 2-1 after two innings of play.
The third inning proved to be one of offensive production for both squads. Ryan Stewart lead off the inning with a double and later scored on a throwing error by Newton.
Junior Jason Pritchett slapped a two RBI single to give the Trojans a total of four for the inning.
Newton added two runs of its own in the bottom half of the third. Austin Bonds and Cody Savell both produced a RBI singles to cut the lead to 6-3 after three innings.
The Tigers would get even closer in the bottom of the fourth inning with an estimated 347-foot shot over the left field wall by Lucas Poole to bring in two runs and cut the Trojan lead to 6-5.
That was as close as the Tigers would get as Northeast added two insurance runs over the next three innings. One run scored on a Newton error and the other run was brought home by a single from Chad Brunson.
In early action, Raymond won both games. Raymond defeated Union 4-1 and got by Northeast 4-3.
Quitman took on Newton in the late game. No score was reported.
Union will take on Northeast today at 1:00, followed by Newton and Union at 3:30. Quitman will play Raymond in the evening game at 6:00.
