(Park Hills, MO) The Central Rebels and Portageville Bulldogs decided midday Wednesday, they’d use Spring Break to compete in a traditional Doubleheader at new Elvins Field.
The Rebels entered the contest with two games earlier in the week postponed due to a combination of rain and unplayable field conditions. The Bulldogs stayed the night in Park Hills after handing West County its first loss of the year Wednesday.
Game One: Central 1, Portageville 0
Casen Murphy was unhittable early on sitting down 10 straight Bulldogs in the opener, and Huston Partin matched his ability on the opposing mound.
Partin held the Rebels scoreless until the bottom of the fifth inning and one run is all Central needed in the first game.
Barrett Henson’s leadoff single had been the first hit by a Rebel since Casen Murphy’s base hit in the first inning. Henson scored on Sam Callaway’s single.
Murphy worked through six innings striking out 14 batters and allowed a single by Mason Adams in the fourth. Kale Drier closed the opening game out. Partin takes the loss battling through six innings, walking five Rebels, and plunking two. He struck out four opponents.
Game Two: Portageville 5, Central 4
Aaron Dunlap propped up the Portageville offense in the second game going 2-for-3 with three runs, and four stolen bases, and a walk. Dunlap began the game with a leadoff single, stole second and third, then scored on Beau Warren’s ground out to spark an early Bulldogs lead.
Callaway worked through three innings for Central allowing four runs on four hits. He walked two and hit three.
Triton Crocker tied the game in bottom of the second after Jonathan Boyer initiated a rundown between first and second allowing Crocker to score after a controversial call at home plate.
Portageville (9-4) answered with three runs in the top of the third. Warren doubled which scored Dunlap and Mason Adams. Warren then came around after a sacrifice-fly by Owen Roberts.
Dunlap scored again in the sixth on a throwing error by Central Catcher Jaxon Jones giving the Bulldogs a 5-2 lead.
Central (5-3) fought back in the bottom of the seventh. Braydon Berry and Barrett Henson scored on Callaway’s single that moved Murphy to third as the tying run, but Crocker grounded out on the next pitch to end the game.
The win goes to Rylan Partin in the second game, the loss to Callaway, and the save to Adams.
The Central Rebels host the Cape Central Tigers on Tuesday, then travel to Ste. Genevieve to face the undefeated Valle Catholic Warriors on Friday in a broadcast game on KFMO.
