Dublin…The Pulaski Co. Cougars baseball team said good-bye to 11 players on Senior Night at Cougar Field and then lost to Salem and their freshman pitcher 6-1.

Freshman starter lefty hurler Zion Honaker tossed a complete game, a four-hitter, pitching the Spartans to their 13^th win of the season. He had a no-hitter until the fifth when Kam Hall’s lead-off single broke up the no-no. Up until then the only Cougar to reach base was Hunter Shrewsbury, who had drawn a one-out walk in the second inning. After Hall’s hit, Camden Underwood was hit by a pitch, but the freshman got the next two Cougar batters to ground out and to strike out.

Pulaski Co. (11-8-1) down 6-0 going to the bottom of the seventh, finally got back-to-back doubles from Andrew Lowe and Hall. Hall’s double knocked in their only run as he went 2 for 3 at the plate with an RBI. Shrewsbury would single him to third with no one out, but the next three batters would strike out, pop out to shallow right and ground out to end the contest.

Salem (13-6) had 10 hits, stole six bases that would do the Cougars in. In the two games against Pulaski Co., Salem had 11 stolen bases. Vincent Piniello went 4 for 4 for Salem as he collected four singles, scored a run and knocked in one. Noah Beckley was 3 for 4, scoring twice and getting an RBI. Riley Fox, John Stover, Landon Hudson and Joe Quinn all had one RBI.

The Cougars had hits from Lowe, Shrewsbury and two from Hall. Senior Dylan Danner was the tough luck loser as he pitched three innings , gave up just one run on four his and struck out one.

Pulaski Co. head coach Jared King said, ”The Salem pitcher kept us off balance and hit his spots. He’s just a freshman and he pitched real well tonight.” Coach then added, ”I’m real proud of our seniors. They have been through a lot with and for us. They battle and don’t quit. Just so proud of each any every one of them.”

Salem scored a run in the first, and the game stayed that way until the sixth with Salem scoring four times and one more in the seventh.

The Cougars used five pitchers in the game and seniors Zakk Jones and JT Thompson went a combined two innings, gave up just one hit, no runs and struck out one. Senior Thomas Anderson went the last 1.2 innings as he surrendered three hits and only one run.

Pulaski Co. will face Wm. Fleming Saturday at home in the first round of Conference 24 playoffs.

Game time is 1:00 pm. If they win, they will get to travel to Salem and take on the Salem Spartans at Kiwanis Field Monday at 5:00 pm in the Conference 24 semifinals.

 

 

R H E LOB

Salem 6 10 0 7

Pul. Co. 1 4 1 4

 

 

Salem – WP- Honaker

Pul. Co.- LP – Danner – (2-4)