By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

Published: Friday, April 24, 2009
Updated: Friday, April 24, 2009 11:21 AM CDT

PARK HILLS — The Mineral Area College baseball team benefited from two close calls at first base during the eighth inning, and salvaged a double-header split against Region XVI rival Jefferson with an 8-7 victory on Thursday.

Freshman Richie Stanley muscled his fourth home run of the season over the left-center fence, and earned the game-winning RBI by legging out a fielder’s choice that allowed Chance Cleveland to cross home plate.

Mineral Area (19-27) pulled even on a fielding error in the sixth after Drew Pixley and Cleveland began the inning with back-to-back singles. Both teams then wasted quality scoring chances down the stretch.

Tyler Beers began the bottom of the seventh with a hooking double that rattled the fence just below the 330’ sign in left field, but Vikings reliever James Hudelson escaped with a strikeout and two infield pop-ups.

MAC starter Logan Lawson yielded a lead-off double to pinch-hitter Preston Aldridge in the eighth, but Cleveland pitched around the inherited runner when second baseman Blake Pinnon made a brilliant stop to his right before cutting down an upright Aldridge at the plate.

Cleveland (5-4), who paced the Cardinals by going 3-for-4 in addition to earning the win on the mound, was ruled safe on a disputed call that saw third baseman Jordan Coons make a remarkable grab to his right.

Hudelson loaded the bases with two walks after Bobby Tatum executed his third sacrifice of the day, and Jefferson could only acquire the force out at second on Stanley’s ground ball.

Lawson allowed six runs on 15 hits and recorded six strikeouts over his seven innings in a no-decision. Jimmy Thompson added two singles for the Cardinals, who led 3-1 after Stanley went deep in the opening frame.

Jefferson (29-18) answered in the second with RBI hits from Coons and Kyle Morris, and surged ahead 5-3 in the fourth on RBI singles by Jeremy Patton and Jordan May.

Patton went 3-for-5 to lead Jefferson, and his second double helped the Vikings build a 6-4 advantage before the Cardinals mounted their comeback. Trey Sorrells finished 2-for-4 with a sacrifice fly.

Jefferson dominated the opening contest behind an offense that cranked out 21 total hits. Pitcher Matt Stites compiled seven strikeouts while going the distance in a 12-2 victory for the visitors.

Sorrells was 4-for-5 and Patton finished 3-for-4 with two more doubles, as the Vikings pulled away with a pair of four-run frames. Garrett Yates went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, while Coons and May also tallied three hits each.

Colton Davis highlighted a strong fourth inning for Jefferson with a two-run double, then scored on a Patton single to make it 6-0. Four consecutive hits off reliever Dustin Hartsgrove in the sixth increased the margin to 11-2.

Bigogno and Stanley scored the lone Mineral Area runs after stroking back-to-back singles in the fourth. Bigogno also doubled to finish 3-for-4 overall, and Tatum added two hits from the lead-off spot.

Beers (2-4) allowed 13 hits and no walks while striking out five in the loss. Only four of the seven runs scored against the right-hander were earned after the MAC defense committed four errors.

Mineral Area will travel to Forest Park for two conference games on Sunday beginning at noon.

GAME ONE:

Jefferson  011 414 1 - 12  21  1

Mineral Area  000 200 0 - 2  8  4

WP - Stites 7i 2r 1er 8h 7k 1bb.

LP - Beers 5i 7r 4er 13h 5k 0bb.

Hitting:

Jefferson - Sorrells 4-5, Patton 3-4, Yates 3-4, Coons 3-4, May 3-5, Davis 2-4, Luce 1-5, Morris 1-5. 2b - Patton 2, May, Coons, Davis.

Mineral Area - Bigogno 3-4, Tatum 2-4, Domenick 1-3, Pixley 1-3, Stanley 1-4. 2b - Bigogno, Pixley.

GAME TWO:

Jefferson  120 201 00 - 6  15  1

Mineral Area  300 102 01 - 7  10  0

WP - Cleveland 1i 0r 0h 0k 1bb.

LP - Hudelson 2 2/3i 1r 2h 2k 2bb.

Hitting:

Jefferson - Patton 3-5, Coons 2-4, Morris 2-4, Sorrells 2-4, Aldridge 1-1, Gilkerson 1-2, May 1-3, Luce 1-3, Schlechte 1-4, Yates 1-4. 2b - Patton 2, Schlechte, Sorrells, Aldridge.

Mineral Area - Cleveland 3-4, Stanley 2-4, Thompson 2-4, Pixley 1-3, Beers 1-4, Pinnon 1-4. 2b - Beers. HR - Stanley (4).