By Staff
FULL SPEED – Meridian High School's Torry Bates fires up a pitch in the rain. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Jeff Byrd/staff writer
May 5, 2002
A brief but potent rain shower put an end to Saturday's second game of the South State 5A series between Oak Grove and the host Meridian Wildcats here at John Moss Field.
The umpires suspended the game following the completion of Oak Grove's at bat in the top of the second inning. The Warriors hold a 2-0 lead after a two-run homer by Marc Maddox in the first inning.
The game will resume with Meridian coming to bat in the bottom of the second on Monday night at 7 p.m. at John Moss.
Oak Grove leads the best of three series 1-0 after winning game one 7-6 Thursday night in Hattiesburg. If Meridian comes back to win game two, a third game would be played Tuesday in Oak Grove.
Meridian head coach Vince McLemore said he was hoping the rain would dodge John Moss Field but it didn't.
Oak Grove head coach Harry Breland had no problem with the decision.
Oak Grove, 26-4, grabbed a 2-0 lead when Maddox, a USM signee, smashed a 3-2 offering from Meridian starter Torry Bates into right-center. The homer also scored Bailey Hartel who had reached on a one-out single.
Todd Siders added a third straight hit, with a single to left. Bates came back to fan Drew Robinson and then got Kyle Sellers to ground out to short.
Meridian went down in order in the bottom of the first as freshman left-hander struck out two.
Oak Grove got an infield hit from Martin Roark to lead off the second. But he was later erased when Meridian catcher Bobby Stone threw him out at third base.
Then the rains came, halting play. After 15 minutes, the umpires suspended the game until Monday night.