By By Marty Stamper/The Meridian Star
May 16, 2001
A solo homer with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning sent homestanding Porter's Chapel past Heidelberg Academy 8-7 in Game 1 of their Academy A best-of-three state championship series Tuesday night at Vicksburg.
Game 2 and Game 3, if needed, are slated for Friday at Heidelberg with a 4:30 p.m. start.
Jeff White's solo homer in the bottom of the eighth settled a tightly-contested series opener.
Every Heidelberg starter had at least one hit.
The Rebels took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first only to have the Eagles tally four times in their half of the inning.
Matt Culberson (8-1) gave up four runs on six hits in the first inning, but allowed only six more hits the rest of the game. Culberson finished the game with 10 strikeouts and allowed only one walk.
Ryan Aultman homered for the Rebels in the top of the second as they closed to within 4-3.
After Porter's Chapel picked up a run in the bottom of the second, Heidelberg took the lead with four runs in the top of the fourth. Heath Ainsworth's two-run homer capped the inning as the Rebels went up 7-5.
Porter's Chapel tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Heidelberg had the chance to reclaim the lead in the top of the eighth. Blake Bass doubled. A bunt was popped up for one out and Bass was doubled up at second to end that threat.
The loss snapped Heidelberg's 16-game win streak.
Scott McKinnis had two singles and two doubles for Heidelberg, 19-5. Bass had a single and a double. Derek McKee and Brent Welch both added a pair of singles. Aultman and Ainsworth both had a two-run homer, while Culberson doubled. Matt Andrews and Brooks Lewis both had a single.
Porter's Chapel improved to 22-11 with the win. Eagle ace Heath Smith upped his record to 12-1.
Marty Stamper is a sports writer for The Meridian Star. E-mail him at mstamper@themeridianstar.com.