Mother Nature made her presence known Monday at the 15th Region Baseball Tournament at StoneCrest SportsPlex.
First the tournament start time was delayed by seven hours with rain.
After Pikeville and Lawrence County played, there was a quick rain shower.
It didn’t last, but once night fell and the temperature fell, here came the fog.
The fog was the story between Belfry and Paintsville.
Before the fog rolled in,
Belfry sailed out to a quick 2-0 lead over Paintsville in after two innings of play.
Then the fog rolled in.
After delay after delay, the game had to be called that night and finished on Tuesday.
When the fog cleared, Paintsville picked up a 10-3 win over the Pirates.
Belfry got the scoring started in the bottom of the first inning.
After the Pirates got a couple base runners on with one out, Dante Davis scored on a throwing error by Paintsville to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
On the next at-bat, Belfry’s Zach Fite drove in a run on a two out RBI single to push the Pirates’ lead to 2-0 after one inning of play.
The scoring column was not found again until the top of the third inning when Paintsville was looking to break through getting a couple base runners on with one out which led to Brody Howell tying the game up at 2-2 on a one out two RBI double in the top of the third inning.
After stealing third base, Brody Howell gave the Tigers the 3-2 lead by scoring on a passed ball by Belfry. On the next at-bat, the Tigers kept rolling when Kruz Howell drove in a run on a two out triple to push Paintsville’s lead to 4-2 after the top of the third inning.
Belfry was able to find the scoring column again in the bottom of the third inning after getting a couple ducks on the pond. David Michael Hagy drove in a run on a one out single to cut Paintsville’s lead to 4-3 after three innings of play.
With both teams now battling one another and the fog rolling heavily onto the field, the Tigers went on the hunt again in the top of the fourth inning. With two on and one out, Lukas Stewart drove in a run on a single. Another run scored on the play on an error by Belfry. Stewart advanced to third base also increasing Paintsville lead to 6-3 with one out in the top of the fourth inning.
On the next at-bat, Paintsville pushed the lead to 7-3 when Brody Howell drove in another run on a one out single in the top of the fourth inning.
Paintsville’s rally ended there as Belfry was able to get the next two Tigers’ batters out to end the top of the fourth inning with Paintsville leading 7-3.
No one was able to score again until the top of the sixth inning when Paintsville’s Colton Short drew a lead off walk. Stewart followed with an RBI double to increase the Tigers’ lead to 8-3 with no outs in the top of the sixth inning.
On the next at-bat, Brody Howell came through big again with an RBI triple to push Paintsville’s lead to 9-3. Brody Howell scored on a wild pitch by Belfry in the top of the sixth inning.
With Paintsville looking to keep the rally going the final fog delay hit with two outs in the top of the sixth inning having to stop the game until Tuesday.
Once play resumed Tuesday evening, Belfry was able to stop Paintsville by striking out the Tigers’ batter to open play to keep Belfry within striking distance with Paintsville now leading 10-3 after the top of the sixth inning.
Chase Varney drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the sixth to give Belfry a glimmer of hope.
The Pirates were unable to build on the opportunity to start a rally to get back in it as Paintsville’ pitching, and defense got the next three Pirates’ batters out to end the sixth inning with Paintsville still holding a 10-3 lead.
In the top of the seventh Paintsville was able to add some insurance runs when the Tigers struck again with a two out, two RBI double Brody Howell. Paintsville lead jumped Belfry couldn’t cut into the lead in the bottom of the seventh as Paintsville escaped with a 12-3 win.
Brody Howell led Paintsville at the plate going four of five with a triple, two doubles, six RBIs and two runs scored. Stewart was three of five at the plate with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Short was two of two at the plate with four runs scored, and walked three times. Kruz Howell was one of two at the plate with a triple, one RBI, and walked one time.
After the rocky start in the bottom of the first inning, Paintsville’s Dixon Kinchloe was a general on the mound. He tossed five innings giving up three runs (two earned) on five hits, while striking out 11 batters and walking only one batter.
Luke Stratton was also solid on the mound going two innings giving up no runs (no earned runs) on one hit, while walking one batter and striking out two batters.
Paintsville improved to 20-12 on the season.
Varney took the loss on the mound for Belfry. He went three and 1/3 innings giving up seven runs (five earned) on six hits, while walking five batters and striking out four batters. Varney as a batter was one of one at the plate, while walking two times.
Davis led the Pirates at the plate going two of four with two runs scored. Davis also pitched two and 1/3 innings giving up three runs on two hits, while striking out three batters and walking two batters. Both Michael Hagy, and Zach Fite were one of three at the plate with one RBI. Luke Maynard was one of one at the plate.
Belfry finished the season with a 20-13 record and the 60th District championship.