LONDON — Trey Smith’s South Laurel Cardinals are off to their best start since 2014.
The Cardinals improved to 4-0 after squeezing out a 6-5 come from behind win over Knox Central on Monday. South Laurel started the 2014 campaign with seven consecutive wins.
The Cardinals trailed 2-1 after the first inning and 4-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning before tying the game at four apiece.
The Panthers (0-2) took a 5-4 lead after pushing across a run in the top of seventh inning before South Laurel put together one final rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Will Alsip led the inning off with a double while Austin Byrd delivered a single while pinch runner Jackson Catching was ruled safe at the plate to tie the game at five apiece. Byrd advanced to second on the throw home. Keaton Creech followed with a bunt and reached on an error as Byrd eventually scored to give the Cardinals the win.
“I felt like all night we hit the ball hard,” Smith said. “We were just hitting stuff right at them. In the seventh, we had quality at bats that were able to push us over the top.
“I feel like this team has been grinding towards what we are doing now,” he added. “They’ve put in a lot of work and I’m proud them.”
Alsip started the game for South Laurel, lasting five innings while allowing two hits and two earned runs. He struck out seven batters. Jacob Culler pitched the sixth inning, allowing three hits and two earned runs while striking out a batter. Byrd got the win, tossing the seventh inning, allowing one hit and no earned runs while striking out a batter.
“I really like our pitching staff,” Smith said. “We had to grind tonight. I was really proud of our pitchers for minimizing things tonight.”
Keaton Smith led South Laurel with two hits and an RBI while Jamison West finished with two hits and two runs scored. Also delivered two hits while Byrd and Jack Vaughn finished with a hit, an RBI and a run scored apiece. Vince Sizemore had a hit and an RBI while Waylon Hensley finished with a hit.
