Neelyville scores 6 runs in 7th to rally past Naylor in district quarterfinal
VAN BUREN — Down to their final strike, Preston Goodnight cleared the bases with a game-tying double to left as the Neelyville Tigers scored six runs in the seventh to beat Naylor 8-7 in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 quarterfinal.
Goodnight scored the winning run following an error on Austin Sheppard’s grounder.
Neelyville (11-9) will face second-seeded Van Buren at 6 p.m. Tuesday while at 4 p.m. top-seeded East Carter plays Winona, an 8-2 winner over Thayer.
The championship is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday.
Naylor (6-11) took a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh after a two-out RBI double by Wyatt Yarbrough.
After a walk and an error to start the bottom of the seventh, Bryce Dollins doubled in two run to cut Naylor’s lead to 7-4. With two outs, Hunter Robinson was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Goodnight’s hit a 3-2 pitch to left.
Before the seventh, Neelyville’s only runs came on a two-run fourth capped by a solo home run by Ryley Cage Armes.
Naylor scored five runs in the second and another in the third.
Naylor’s Kyle Tubb drove in two runs with two hits and walked. Luke Rose, Russell Brooks, Brock Woolard and Damian Thilman each had two hits. Zach Yarbro, Wyatt Yarbrough, Cameron Sarabia, Woolard, and Thilman each drove in a run.
Austin Sheppard got the win in relief, striking out 10 in six innings while allowing two unearned runs on five hits and a walk.
Goodnight drove in three runs and scored twice for the Tigers, who lost the previous meeting 11-4 on March 28.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with corrected stats not available at presstime.