5A State Semi-Final Magnolia West v Lovejoy

admin | Jun 6th, 2024

Magnolia West was the home team. Their battery consisted of Dawson Park and Garrett Bagwell. Lovejoy threw Grant Harlan with Reese Ogden receiving pitching. Lovejoy was the home team. Magnolia West the visitors. Harlan started the game with a strikeout. Add another strikeout and a ground out and the Leopards were in the dugout quick.

Lovejoy’s Logan Corley single and then Kyle Branch doubled. An error at first plated both of them. Asher Lacy singled and drove in another Lovejoy run. At the end of the first it was 3-0 Lovejoy. Harlan wasn’t as crisp in the top of the second. He hit the first batter and walked the second batter before recording two outs from a sacrifice bunt and a fly out to left. Another walk loaded the bases. Garrett Bagwell grounded out to second to end the inning. Lovejoy went down in order in the bottom of the frame.

The top of the third looked easy for the Leopards thanks to nice defensive work by Kyle Branch at shortstop and Matthew Mainord at third. Magnolia West went down in order. Branch singled. Hutchins doubled. With one out, Asher Lacy hits a sacrifice fly to score Branch. At the end of the third it was 4-0 Lovejoy.

Grant Harlan continued to throw well for Lovejoy. Magnolia West went down in order in the top of the fourth. Lovejoy would do the same in the bottom half. Magnolia West got their first hit to leadoff the 5^th. Trey Jeanes singled up the middle. Cooper Wilkerson walks. Jeanes is picked off at second. Garrett Bagwell popped out to third for the second out. A lineout to left ended the inning.

Caldwell McFaddin worked around a leadoff single by Logan Corley. Flyouts to right, then center, then left put his team back up to bat. Harlan got two quick fly ball outs then walked the next two batters. He ended the frame with a strikeout. In the bottom of the 6^th, Asher Lacy grounds out. Matthew Mainord walks but is thrown out on the next pitch. Wilkerson grounds out to end the 6th.

Asher Lacy took the mound for Lovejoy in the top of the 7^th. Three quick outs and Lovejoy is headed to the State Championship game on Saturday.

WP – Harlan
Save – Lacy
LP – Park

Player of the Game: Grant Harlan