n Big win over Lewisburg

keeps Houston rolling in playoffs

By Adam Gore

Chickasaw Journal

HOUSTON -- While people took in the sights and sounds of the Flywheel Festival, the Houston baseball team provided the fireworks on the night just a few hundred feet away as the Hilltoppers exploded for 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally from a 5-4 deficit to pick up a 14-7 win over the Lewisburg Patriots in the second round of the Class 3A North State playoffs on Friday.

Josh Griffin led off the inning with a single and was quickly followed by a four-pitch walk issued to Jacob Long before a two-run single by Wesley Smith ignited the Houston bats. A Patriot throwing error and walk later Landon Brister cleared the bases with a three-run double off the wall.

Corey Voyles promptly followed with a two-run shot over the wall in center before Lewisburg could strike out the next 'Topper batter for the first out of the inning. Houston ripped back-to-back singles through the gap at second before Long connected on his second home run of the game leaving no doubt on a towering shot to left.

The Patriots sent three different pitchers in the mound during the 'Toppers scoring marathon in the sixth before they were able to get out of the inning. Lewisburg scored two runs in the top of the seventh on a pair of wild pitches, but it was too little too late as

Houston turned the tables on the visitors after being eliminated from the playoffs by the Patriots last season.

"The guys did a great job in the sixth and seventh and that is something we have been focusing on all year long. This win is a testament to how hard they have worked," said Houston skipper John Ellison.

Long sent the first Patriot pitch of the game out of the park for a lead off homer in the bottom of the first and finished 3-for-4 with a walk, five RBI, scored three runs, and two home runs in the series-clinching victory.

Houston scored on a two-out single by Long in the second and added two more runs on a Lewisburg throwing error in the third.

Lewisburg (23-8) rallied from a 4-1 hole with a pair of runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but a determined Houston (17-12) squad would not be denied on a night of celebration in Chickasaw County.

Landon Brister got the win while Wesley Smith, Landon Brister, and Josh Griffin all added multiple hits to go along with Long's stellar performance.

Comeback in game one

In game one, Houston jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the contest, but the Patriots battled back to a take a 5-2 edge in the third inning. The Toppers refused to lose as they plated a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh inning to grab a 6-5 come-from-behind victory on Thursday.

"They have a great ball club and we kind of laid back (after we got the lead), but we had some quality at bats with runners in scoring position in those last two innings," Ellison said.

Latham Brister had 10 strikeouts in the win while Jacob Shempert had three hits. Wesley Smith and Latham Brister each added multiple hit performances for the Toppers and Long had a home run in the game giving him three home runs in the series.

"This team started off slow and faced a lot of adversity early, but I think it prepared them in the long run. These kids come out here everyday and give me all they've got," Ellison.

Semi-finals

Up next for Houston will be region-rival South Pontotoc in a best-of-three series in the Class 3A North State semi-finals. Due to state testing, game one is scheduled for Friday at South Pontotoc with the second game of the series coming to Houston on Saturday. If game three is needed it will return to South Pontotoc on Monday.

The winner of this series will take on the winner between Mooreville and North Pontotoc in the North State Championship series scheduled for May 7-8.