By By Fredie Carmichael /Special to The Star
April 7, 2001
Southeast Lauderdale ignited the bats for 18 runs on 10 hits and got a no-hit performance on the mound using three Tiger pitchers as they blanked the visitors from Choctaw Central, 18-0, here Friday night. The win ups Southeast's division record to 6-3, with three key games remaining on the schedule to determine its post-season fate.
Andrew Lilly started things off on the mound for the homestanding Tigers as he sat down the first six batters he faced in his two innings of work.
T.J. Aniel led off the bottom half of the second inning with a single up the middle to start the Tigers' offensive onslaught. Jake Butler's fielders choice brought Aniel home and SEL was on the board, 1-0. After a RBI single from Ryan Rawlings, Jonathan Russell busted a triple to left field that plated two more Tigers as they led 4-0 with two innings in the book.
John Coker took over on the mound for SEL in the top of the third inning and smoked three straight Warrior batters, sending them to the dugout on strikeouts.
Southeast's Lilly stepped to the plate in the bottom of the third and drilled a line drive solo shot over the left field fence to make it 5-0 SEL. The Tigers got two more garbage runs in the inning thanks to two Choctaw errors and led 7-0 after three.
Coker continued his wizardry on the mound by sitting down three consecutive Warrior batters again in the fourth to protect the lead.
Billy Harper belted a grand-slam home run that just squeezed fair past the left field foul pole that capped off an 11 run fourth inning which put the Tigers on top 18-0. The third and final SEL pitcher Jonathan Russell came in and sealed the deal on the mound as they took the victory in 4 * innings of play.
The Tigers host a double-header with Velma Jackson on Tuesday before a showdown with Newton County on Thursday. "We're going to face some tougher pitching than we saw tonight when we play these last three ball games," SEL Senior first baseman T.J. Aniel said following the game.
Rawlings led Southeast at the plate with three singles while Aniel went 2 for 2 on two singles.