[Stardust]

After three rain-outs, the weatherman finally cooperated with the Male High School baseball team.

The sixth-ranked Bulldogs took advantage of Thursday night’s dry weather and decked visiting and top-ranked Lexington Catholic 5-3.

In the still-early season, it marked the first game in six that Lexington (5-1) had given up more than one run. In fact, the Knights had only given up one run before facing Male.

Still, the Bulldogs got off on the right foot in the bottom of the first inning.

Zach Janes reached when he was hit by the first pitch thrown by Knights’ starter Colton Cleary. Then designated hitter Tyler Adams came up with two outs and drew a walk.

“He just battled and battled and battled and drew a walk,” Male coach Todd Driskell said. “He had some really good at-bats in that first inning.”

“I was waiting for a fastball,” Adams said. “But he kept throwing me off-speed pitches. I was wanted to get on base any way I could.”

Then Dalton Howell delivered a Cleary fast ball over the left-field fence and Male led 3-0. “That helps,” Driskell said. “That certainly helps. ... He gets in there and gets a pitch he can drive, and he drove it. Dalton Howell’s got a sweet swing.”

“He threw me a low fastball,” said Howell, who wasn’t sure if it would clear the fence. “I don’t think I got all of it.”

But he got enough of it.

The Knights cut the lead to 3-2 after Trey Miller singled, reached second base on a wild pitch and scored when Evan Fraliex singled to center field. With two outs, LexCath’s Robert Waller hit a double to center and Fraliuex scored.

The Bulldogs added single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, extending their lead to 5-2. In the fifth, Blake Oyler singled and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Adams. In the sixth, Chris Arnold delivered a RBI single, scoring Justin Linares.

“We work on the short game an awful lot,” Driskell said. “You’re going to have to do that against a good team like Lexington Catholic.”

http://saxo.highschoolsports.net/article...cs?Avis=B2

[Stardust]

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