RIPLEY — Sophomore Ryan Burt threw a two-hitter Thursday night to lead the New Hope High School baseball team to a 3-1 victory against Ripley in Game 1 of its Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A best-of-three playoff series.
The series resumes at 7 tonight in New Hope. The Trojans are one win away from advancing to the North State championship series for a second-straight season.
Burt, who lost for the first time this season last week in the series against Mooreville, bounced back with a complete-game performance to move to 10-1. He struck out five and walked two. He lost his no-hit bid when the Tigers had both of their hits in the seventh inning.
Rye McGlothin hit a two-run home run for New Hope (26-5) in the second. Payton Springfield had a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
New Hope was held to four hits, as Ripley (22-5) ace Cade Davis lost for the first time this season.
n Stringer 7, Hamilton 6, nine innings: At Hamilton, the Lions (19-6-2) dropped Game 1 of their third round series. The teams will play again tonight in Stringer.
Cayleb Dyess had three hits to lead the Red Devils (18-11), who scored two runs in the top of the ninth before Hamilton scored one run in the bottom half of the inning. Griffin Cheatham and Conner Hicks (four RBIs) had two hits.
Hicks struck out four in 3 1/3 innings. Jackson Parker struck out nine in 4 2/3.
Nick Harmon had three hits for Hamilton. Brady Davis added two RBIs. Davis struck out 10 in 6 1/3 innings.
n Starkville Academy season ends: At Indianola, the Volunteers dropped the final two games of the best-of-three series in the quarterfinals of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS) Class AAA playoffs.
After winning 3-1 at home Tuesday night, Starkville Academy dropped 8-3 and 7-4 decisions Thursday.
For Starkville Academy, the season ends at 23-9.
In the opener, the Colonels (22-8) broke a 2-2 tie with a six-run sixth. A grand slam by Wesley Lester was the big blow.
Starkville Academy had six hits. Will Miller had a double, while Nason Heflin, Will Holley, Taylor Arnold, Cameron McKee, and Garrett Lewis had singles.
Lewis pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing four hits and four runs (two earned). Howell Archer got the final out of the sixth.
In the second game of the day, Indianola Academy erased a 3-2 deficit with five runs in the fifth.
Starkville Academy had nine hits. Howell Archer hit a two-run home run. Heflin had two singles, while Miller, Kyle Faver, Ben Owens, Arnold, Lewis, and McKee added singles.
Miller drew the start and was lifted with one out in the fourth. He allowed two hits and two runs (both unearned). McKee finished the fourth and started the fifth. He was touched for five runs (all unearned). Heflin finished the game.
All seven runs allowed were unearned.
Starkville Academy was hurt by three errors in the opener and two errors in the nightcap.
n Oak Hill Academy sees season end: At Flora, the Raiders (13-11) saw their season end in Game 2 of their-best-of-three Class AA playoff series.
The Rebels used a five-run sixth that featured a grand slam by Dillon Hendrick to improve to 20-7. Hendrick had three hits and five RBIs. Cade Shepherd had two RBIs.
Collins Brown had two hits in his final game for Oak Hill Academy. Collin Coggins had an RBI. Dylan Scott went five innings for the Raiders. He struck out seven.
Hayden Bosarge struck out seven in three innings for the Rebels. Hendrick also pitched 2 1/3 innings.
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