The final score looks ugly. And so do the numbers.
Purvis used an eight-run seventh inning and outhit South Pike 12-5 en route to a 13-0 Region 7-4A victory Friday night at South Pike.
What the box score won’t show is the little things, like the fact that South Pike trailed Purvis, the defending Class 4A state champions, just 2-0 in the sixth inning.
It also won’t show the defensive plays the Eagles made, like the two outfield assists and a leaping catch at the center field wall from sophomore LaPatrick Nimox.
None of that will count in the standings, but it can only help South Pike’s young team going forward.
“A year ago, this team put 15 runs on us in three or four innings — it’s baby steps,” South Pike coach Neal Smith said. “We’re not going to fix it overnight. We have to build off of what we’re doing well and fix the few things we’re having trouble with.”
Hitting was the main issue Friday night. The Eagles (3-5, 0-2) threatened to score in the bottom of the first inning then went quiet the rest of the night.
Meanwhile, Purvis (6-4, 2-0) scored a run in the third and another in the fourth to build a 2-0 lead, which was all it needed. The Tornadoes eventually got to South Pike starter Blake Lantrip and did all of its damage in the final two innings.
Purvis added three runs in the sixth inning then sent 14 batters to the plate in the eight-run outburst in the top of the seventh. The Tornadoes banged out five hits and used two errors to blow open the game.
Lantrip took the loss, allowing 13 runs (11 earned) on 12 hits in 61/3 innings of work.
“They finally started to hit the pitcher,” Smith said. “Putting the ball in play and really didn’t make a lot of errors, they just hit the ball well.”
Tyler Abney and Bryant Hensleigh both drove in two runs for Purvis and Braxton Carter and Joe Barrett added two hits each.
Jacob Williams racked up seven strikeouts in just three innings of work to earn the win for Purvis.
South Pike had its best chance to score in the first inning when Robert Holmes reached on an error and nearly scored on Kaderious Varnado’s triple to right center field. The relay throw beat Holmes at the plate but Holmes over-slid home as catcher Shelton Smith dropped the ball. Smith recovered in time to tag Holmes and end South Pike’s threat.
Although South Pike finished with five errors, Nimox put on a clinic in center field.
Purvis loaded the bases and threatened to score in the second inning when Hensleigh lifted a fly ball to Nimox. The sophomore drifted in, fired a laser to home plate and gunned out Carter.
Then in the top of the fourth, Nimox robbed Nathan Roseberry of a home run with a leaping catch at the wall.
The left-hander capped off his day in the sixth inning when he threw out Brady Anderson at third base.
“He’s kind of one of those silent leaders. He’s going to try and handle his part and do what we asked him to do,” Smith said. “He’s a great outfielder and we just need him to step up at the plate a little bit better and get some hits in clutch times.”
Nimox struck out in all three of his plate appearances.
Varnado and Ray Tapp led South Pike with a triple and a single each. Holmes had the only other hit with an infield single in the third inning.
Purvis managed just six hits through the first five innings but finally pieced things together when Hensleigh and Roseberry ripped back-to-back RBI doubles down the left field line. Roseberry came around to score on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.
In the seventh, an error, a hit batsmen and a bunt single loaded the bases for the Tornadoes. After a wild pitch made it 6-0, Abney’s two-run single pushed it to 8-0 and Purvis added five more runs to cap off its big inning.
South Pike returns to district action Tuesday when it hosts North Pike (10-1) at 7 p.m.
