BY ANTHONY STEVENS
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
LEBANON, Va. – Lebanon used the long ball on Wednesday night to remain undefeated in the Clinch Mountain District. The Pioneers, powered by a pair of two-run homers, eased by John Battle 7-4 on a cold, windy evening at Pioneer Park.
“This is a big one,” Lebanon coach Doc Adams said. “I’m pleased with the way my kids played tonight. I’ll take beating John Battle any day of the week. They have been beating us pretty regular, but we played well against them tonight.”
Cody Compton gave the Pioneers (7-2, 2-0) a quick lead. Compton hit a line drive home run to right field to score the first two Lebanon runs. Andrew Witt added a run scoring single, as the Pioneers took a 3-0 lead after one inning of play. In the third inning, Bryan White, who went 3-for-3 in the game, reached on a single. J.L. Kegley followed with a two-run blast, as Lebanon went up 5-0.
“It was an outside pitch, I just went with it,” Kegley said. “I hit it solid and it got out our here. We haven’t had too many games recently due to the weather, so it felt good to play well as we get into our district schedule.”
John Battle (4-7, 1-2) was able to fight back and make a game of it. The Trojans scored three unearned runs with two out in the fourth inning. Austin Sorah led off the inning with a double. Lebanon starter and winner Brett Taylor retired the next two batters. Daniel Hughes then reached on an error that allowed Sorah to score the first Battle run.
Ty King then laced a single to left and Justin Hutton followed with a two-run triple, just over the Lebanon centerfielder’s head. Hutton also added a RBI single in the sixth for Battle.
“These boys battle, they don’t give up,” John Battle coach Larry Cannon said. “They’ve came back in several games, but we just have to work to keep getting better.
“These boys have made improvements. They are playing hard. We laid the ball on the ground a few times and, like any good team, Lebanon made us pay for it.”
Stephen Martin manufactured a run for Lebanon in the fourth. He walked, took second, and eventually scored on a couple of wild pitches. Kegley drove in the Pioneers final run with a double off the wall in the fifth.
Taylor was effective on the mound for Lebanon. He pitched the complete game, only striking out five and scattered nine hits by Battle. The Trojans left six runners on.
Both teams play again today. John Battle plays at Abingdon. Lebanon plays host to Virginia High in another important CMD contest.
“We only get to enjoy this on a few minutes,” Adams said. “If we can win against Virginia High, we’ll be in pretty good shape. But it will be another tough one.”
Lebanon 7, John Battle 4
John Battle 000 301 0–4 9 3
Lebanon 302 110 x–7 10 3
Hutton, Couch (6) and J. Hughes. Taylor and Castle. W–Taylor (2-2). L–Hutton (1-3). HR–Compton (L) 1st, one on; Kegley (L) 3rd, one on.
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