Eagles sweep G-P

G-P came down from the highlands for a doubleheader in the foothills of Seymour and got their kilts blown off as the Eagles sandwiched a mercy-kill sweep of their county rival around a home and away sweep of district foe Fulton to clinch second place in the 3-AA standings. In four games over the spring break, SHS outscored the opposition 63-6 powered by senior Nick Manis’ three home runs. Manis played in three of the four games and sent one over the fence in each game. The Highlanders visited Don Doyle Field on Wednesday for the double header. David Lunsford took the mound for Seymour and used an improving infield defense to limit G-P to one run. The Eagles came out hitting in the first, as Matt Pryor was plunked to reach first, Zack Smith took first with base on balls which set up Manis for his first shot at the parking lot. A three run blast off of G-P’s Jeff McManis. The Highlanders struck for a run in the top of the second, as A.J. Coy and McManis took solid singles off Lunsford. Coy would cross for the only Highlander score of the afternoon. Leading 3-1, Matt Pryor was the offensive highlight of the second for the Eagles, knocking a double into right with the bases loaded to knab three RBIs. Pryor would score on a Zack Smith sacrifice fly. McManis contained Seymour in the third, but a pitch got away from him to hit Adam Gossett who scored on a Chad Isbill double. SHS turned things up a notch in the fourth. Lunsford gave up one walk, but struck out two Highlanders and Patrick Howard dinked one into a 2-3 out. Pryor led off a five run SHS fourth. Five different Eagles collected RBIs including Brad Sonner who pinch hit for Pryor as Seymour sent eleven men to the plate in the inning. After G-P failed to close the gap in the top of the fifth, SHS won by the ten-run mercy rule 13-1. The teams took a quick break as the new lineups were exchanged for game two. Seymour proved their bats were just beginning to heat in the first game. Todd Sanzo retired the Highlanders 1-2-3 in the top of the first and the Eagles came to the plate for a seven hit, nine run first inning that had G-P pitcher Robbie Watson face 15 Eagle batters. The top of the SHS order showcased their firepower, on their second at-bats in the inning Pryor sent a long ball to the outfield for his seventh double in four games. Not to be outdone by his fellow junior, Logan McNulty followed Pryor and did him one better as he belted a two run homer. Sanzo faced four in the top of the second, walking Daniel Mitchell but striking out Josh Lott, Dale Adams and Coy. While Sanzo was keeping the bottom of the G-P order baffled on their first trip to the plate, Eagle hitters were taking their third times at bat in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs. The fourth coming when Tim Farmer, who had come in to relieve Watson, plunked Gossett with the bases loaded to score a run. Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the third. Leading 13-0, Seymour Coach Brian McCord tried to reign in the Eagles, inserting the reserves and even sending seldom batting Sanzo to the plate. It was to no avail as sophomore Andy Bass’s single loaded the bases. Seymour hitters singled in their turns, collecting RBI’s for eight consecutive at-bats. The clincher came on a Lambert grand slam that rocketed over the left field fence. Seeing the game on the verge of getting out of hand, the coaches agreed to call the game four outs early, at 24-0. The call probably preserved the SHS runs in a game record of 29, set against Austin East in 1997.