Tigers, Louisburg split doubleheader

LOUISBURG -- Fort Scott High's baseball team split a non-league doubleheader here Tuesday with each game ending with 7-5 scores. The Tigers (2-1) won the opener while host Louisburg won the nightcap.

The games were moved here from Ty Cullor Field in Fort Scott due to early-morning rain. They started earlier than usual in Louisburg to avoid potential lightning delays.

Fort Scott trailed in the opener after three innings, 5-3. The Tigers scored 2 in the top of the fourth to tie the score and claimed the lead in the top of the seventh.

"Our guys battled all night, each and every time that we got down," Fort Scott head coach Josh Regan said. "We are learning how to win games. Patience is key with such a young team that's been able to practice on our field four times all spring."

The Tigers had 10 hits in the opener. Jacob Payne had 3 hits in 4 at bats and drove in 3 runs. Starting pitcher Zach Denton was also 3 for 4 as he helped his own cause.

"We are starting to get it going offensively, which is nice," Regan said. "Zach Denton had a great night at the plate and hit the ball hard in just about every at-bat he had.

"Jacob Payne did a great job on the bump in game one, and Carter Young came in and was able to close it out."

Payne aloowed 8 hits and 3 walks in 6 innings while striking out 5. Young pitched the bottom of the seventh, striking out 1 batter.

Fort Scott took a 2-0 lead after their turn in the top of the first. Louisburg put up 3 runs in the bottom of the inning but the Tigers scored 2 more in the top of the second to go up 5-3.

The Wildcats scored twice in the fourth to tie the score at 5-5. Then they scored single runs in the fifth and sixth.

"In game two, we struggled a little bit defensively in some big spots and it cost us.," Regan said., "We have to shore those things up going forward. We are not overpowering offensively. We have to play good defense in order to win games. I expect us to improve quickly in that phase of the game."

Chase Brown and Benjamin Labbe each had 2 hits for the Tigers in game two. Jake Durossette drove in 2 runs.

The Tigers will go to Pittsburg today for a Southeast Kansas League doubleheader. Tuesday, they will make up their snowed-out season opener with Nevada at Lions Field. Start time each day is 4:30 p.m. Thrusday's action will be a varsity doubleheader. Tuesday is one varsity game followed by a junior varsity contest.

Game One

Louisburg....... 032 000 0 -- 5 8 0

WP -- Payne (1-0). LP -- Turner. Sv. -- Young (1).

HR -- Louisburg: Larson (2nd inn., 1 on, 1 out).

Game Two

Louisburg...... 300 211 x -- 7 8 1

WP -- Edwards. LP -- Reehl (0-1).

HR -- None.