Semoball

ONE LAST RIDE: Howard’s late hit gives Charleston final tournament win of the season in Southern Invitational Series

Charleston Fighting Squirrels players storm the field after defeating Mid County, Tex., in the championship game of the Southern Invitational Series, in Mobile, Ala. Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020.
Submitted Photo

MOBILE, Ala. — It was his final baseball game of the summer, but former Sikeston Bulldog Payton Howard didn’t let it end without a memory.

Tied at four and heading to the top of the seventh, Howard made sure to capitalize with runners in scoring position and nobody out, in the Fighting Squirrels 5-4 victory over Mid County, Tex. in the championship game of the Southern Invitational Series, in Mobile, Ala., at Hank Aaron Stadium.

After Justin Moses led off the frame by reaching on an error by the Mid County third baseman and Ajay Sager singled to push Moses to third, Howard came through with a clutch base hit to break the tie.

Three defensive outs away from claiming the title, Charleston resorted to Dawson Crawford to return to the mound and get the final three outs of the contest.

He did just that.

Crawford got Brock Holton to ground out to third base, Kamden Grant to fly out to right field and then struck out Austin Schapper to end the game. He finished his night by giving up three hits, one earned run, fanning three and walking one over 2 2/3 innings.

The Fighting Squirrels finished the 2020 season with a robust 41-5 record.

A late run was key for Charleston, but getting out to a fast start and setting the tone early also didn’t hurt.

Payton Howard got things rolling in the top of the first, with a single, and then after reaching third on a pair of passed balls, scored after Brayden Eftink hit a single of his own.

A Hunter Hiett double then plated Eftink to give Charleston a 2-0 lead before there was one out in the frame.

The top of the order didn’t stop there for Charleston, though.

Starting the third, Howard led off the frame with another single and then scored four pitches later after Eftink unloaded on a two-run home run, making it a 4-0 contest and momentum squarely on the shoulders of the Fighting Squirrels.

Mid County would get on the scoreboard in the bottom half of the frame after Adam Roccaforte singled and then scored on a Zach Siegrest base hit to cut the lead to 4-1.

After tallying a run on the board in the home half of the third, Mid County would score in each of the next two innings and eventually tie the contest at four.

In the fourth, Brian Davilla scored on a Logan Webb single, while Roccaforte scored on an error by the Charleston catcher and Brock Holton scored on a Justin Smith double in the fifth to tie the game.

Charleston Fighting Squirrels 3, Mobile (Ala.) Rawdogs 0

MOBILE, Ala. — Needing a win to move one step closer to winning the Southern Invitational Series, in Mobile, Ala., the Charleston Fighting Squirrels turned to the best pitcher on the team to get the job done.

Heading into the semifinal game against the Alabama Rawdogs with a 1.09 earned run average in 44 2/3 innings pitched, Klein wound up heading out with a much better mark. After 6 1/3 innings of five-hit, no-run ball, Klein dropped his ERA down to 0.96 for the season.

Klein fanned eight batters, walked one and hit one during his outing as well.

Pitching was there for Charleston, all it needed was run support, which Klein got when the Fighting Squirrels scored three runs in the top of the sixth.

Back-to-back singles by Brayden Eftink and Hunter Hiett put runners on first and second with one out.

Following the second strikeout of the frame, Chase Crosnoe pushed the first run of the game across, after he hit a line drive up the middle to plate Eftink.

A base hit by Jacob Watkins would score two more runs to equal the total before Gabe Hurley grounded out to end the side.

Moving to the seventh, Klein was still on the bump for Charleston looking to finish the job.

However, after getting Luke Bezeredi to flyout, Klein yielded a single to Tucker Musgrove before head coach Michael Minner pulled him for Luke Nichols.

Nichols gave up a single to Bryant Andrews, but then got Solon White and Bear Priester to groundout to end the game and advance the Missouri state champions into the championship game.

Payton Howard went 2-for-4 in the game, while Hiett went 2-for-3. Both were the lone batters to earn multiple hits in the contest. Jake Holifield went 2-for-3 for the Rawdogs and was the only Mobile player to reach multiple knocks.

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