After losses to North Pike, Clinton and Independence put Senatobia on a three-game losing streak, the Warriors recovered nicely late last week with a 10-6 win against Olive Branch and a 6-5 victory against Cleveland Central.
With the wins, SHS improved its season record to 4-3 overall. The Warriors combined for 17 hits in the two games, including a late rally in last Thursday’s victory against Olive Branch.
Though the Conquistadors jumped out to a 5-0 lead after four innings in the books, Senatobia stormed back with three runs in the fifth and seven in the sixth inning. The rally began with a leadoff single to left field from Travis Hale and an error helped Martavious Loveberry reach base. After a sacrifice bunt advanced the runners, Brody Coppedge brought in both runners with a two-run single to left field, pulling the Warriors back within 5-2.
Another error allowed Cade Kennedy to reach base and a rundown between first and second base allowed Coppedge to score from third, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
Aside from a double with one out, Olive Branch got nothing in the top half of the sixth, paving the way for the Warriors to inch closer. Although Senatobia grounded out in the first two at-bats, a walk to Nolan McNail set in motion the massive seven-run surge.
Hale once again delivered a single to right field and an error in right field off Loveberry’s at-bat, scored both McNail and Hale, closing the gap to 6-5. Another error allowed Aiden Brunetti to reach and a single from Coppedge gave Senatobia the lead.
Still working against two outs in the bottom of the sixth, the hits kept coming for the Warriors. Kennedy’s two-run single scored Coppedge and Jabez Burdette, while a triple off the bat of Brayden Coleman scored Kennedy, pushing Senatobia’s lead to 9-5. Silas King followed with a single to right field, scoring Coleman for the final run of the inning.
Though the Warriors issued two quick outs in the top of the seventh, a single and a hit-by-pitch allowed Olive Branch to threaten once again. An error at third base allowed the Conquistadors to tack on another run, but a pop-up to Coppedge at second base ended the game.
Senatobia finished with nine base hits, led by Kennedy’s 3-for-4 effort and two RBIs. Coppedge and Hale each came away with a pair of base hits, and Coleman finished the evening with a triple.
On the mound, Brunetti picked up the victory, striking out one batter against three walks and an unearned run allowed. Evans Sealy pitched the first 3.2 innings, garnering seven strikeouts against four walks and four earned runs.
In Saturday’s home contest against Cleveland Central, the Warriors surrendered a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning, only to respond with four of their own in the home half of the inning. The Wolves tied the game at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the top of the second, but both teams went scoreless over the next two and a half frames.
In the top of the fifth, Cleveland Central scraped across a run to take a 5-4 advantage, only for Senatobia to tie things up in the bottom of the fifth. The Warriors then pushed through the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth, holding off a glimmer of a rally from the Wolves in the top of the seventh.
Senatobia finished with eight hits in the win, led by two apiece from Coppedge and Loveberry. Additionally, Coppedge, McNail and Sealy each accounted for a double.
On the mound, McNail picked up the win with two innings of relief, striking out two batters with no runs or walks given up. Coleman tossed the first five innings, earning six strikeouts against three walks and five unearned runs allowed.
Next up for the Warriors is a home contest against Horn Lake on Friday, March 7 at 7 P.M., with a road contest at Winona scheduled for Saturday, March 8 at 2 P.M.
