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Thursday, May 24USJ comfortably staves off eliminationSMYRNA - University School of Jackson's bats heated up just in time for the Bruins to stave off elimination Wednesday night. Facing a must-win situation, USJ pounded Marshall County, 18-5, in a Class AA state tournament baseball game at Smyrna High School. The game ended in the fifth inning on the 10-run rule. USJ ripped five Marshall County pitchers for 18 hits and was 13-for-22 with runners in scoring position. "They hit rockets and did a great job of adjusting," said Marshall County coach Joe George, whose team lost to USJ, 4-2, on Tuesday. "Even when they had first and thirds and we were playing for it they were still getting balls up the middle. "It kind of snowballed." The loss ended the year for Marshall County (29-14), which was back in the state tournament for the first time in four years. USJ (39-6) will try to extend its seventh straight state tournament appearance against Knoxville Gibbs at 4 p.m. today in a rematch of a game played Wednesday afternoon. Gibbs beat USJ, 9-4, to force the Bruins into an elimination game. "This morning we didn't hit a bit, but we knew it was time to hit or go home," said USJ junior Clayton Gant, who went 4-for-4 with five RBIs. "It took us about two innings to get our hitting down and then everybody was hitting good." Marshall County hit well early, jumping all over USJ starter Benjie Fesmire for a 5-1 lead in the second inning. USJ, however, rocked Marshall County starter Cory Searls for six runs in the inning to move ahead 7-5. Gant's two-run single up the middle gave USJ the lead for good. "Clayton Gant hit the ball well all day long," USJ coach Brad Dyer said. "Kids like that just keep on coming through for us when we need them." The Bruins added two runs in the third on a two-run single up the middle by University of Tennessee signee Josh Liles, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs and four runs scored. He also hit a solo home run in the first inning and stole two bases. USJ continued to pour it on in the fourth, scoring nine runs on nine hits to take an 18-5 lead. Six different players drove in runs in the inning - including two by Fesmire. Freshman Dusty Bright sparked the breakout inning with an RBI single up the middle. "They've got a good ballclub," George said. "They hit and we quit hitting." Searls was stuck with the loss after being roughed up for seven runs on eight runs in 1.1 innings. He did, though, add an RBI. Brad Barnes was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Fesmire (11-0) got the win despite allowing five runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings. The sophomore also helped his own cause with three RBIs. Freshman Hunter Smith added three runs scored and three RBIs for USJ, which faces a tough road today. The Bruins must beat Gibbs twice to advance to the state final. USJ is looking to win its fifth state title and first since 2002. The Bruins won the Class A title in 2005, but later forfeited the championship for using an ineligible player. Last year they finished as the state runner-up to Covington in the program's first season in the Class AA ranks. Dyer said he is confident his players can rise to the challenge. "We got it going in this last game," Dyer said. "Maybe we can keep it going tomorrow." - Joshua Parrott, 425-9634 |
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