The North Pike Jaguars clinched the District 6-4A crown with a doubleheader sweep over Lawrence County Thursday night.
North Pike (19-3, 14-1) beat Lawrence County 3-1 in Game 1 and 4-1 in Game 2 in Monticello.
“When we set up the district schedule, we set it up so it would come down to the last week of the season,” North Pike head coach George Lott said. “We’ve had a couple of injuries and been kind of down a little. To win the game with the amount of adversity we’ve had is special.”
Lott said the key to his team’s 14-1 district record and overall success this season has been his pitching staff.
“I’ve been there 23 years and it’s as good of staff as I’ve had,” he said. “We don’t have one good pitcher, we have four or five.”
The Jaguars have four pitchers with at least three wins this season — Adam Leonard, Cade Killingsworth, Kole Alford and Daren Smith.
Leonard pitched in five games so far this season, allowing 10 hits with 17 strikeouts in 15.1 innings. Killingsworth has appeared in 13 games, picking up four wins. He allowed 15 hits while striking out 40 batters in 28.1 innings.
Smith and Alford each have six wins with 51 and 39 strikeouts respectively.
“Our pitching staff has been phenomenal,” Lott said.
Tyler Simmons, Parker Phillips, Adam Haygood and Killingsworth lead the charge for the Jaguars behind the plate with the highest batting averages for players with at least 45 plate appearances.
In the Game 1 win Thursday, Alford picked up the win, pitching a complete game and allowing three hits with five strikeouts.
In Game 2, Parker and Matthew Phillips had two hits each and Killingsworth led the team with two RBIs.
The Jaguars close out the season Monday with a matchup against Wesson.
“It’s really important going to the playoffs on a positive note,” Lott said. “I’m really proud of them. I’m as proud of them as any bunch I’ve had.”
