Southern Wayne’s Mason McKee takes a full swing at the plate as a pitch approaches. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s varsity baseball team opened their home matchup with promise, taking an early lead and showing control through the game’s first half. Backed by timely hitting and solid pitching from Drayden McKee, the Saints looked prepared for a tight contest. But a massive sixth inning from West Johnston shattered that rhythm, as the visitors plated six runs and took full control in a 9–1 defeat for Southern Wayne.
Despite the lopsided final score, the game was a competitive one for the first five innings. The Saints put runners aboard in four of their six offensive frames, executed well on defense early, and received strong individual performances from several players. Ultimately, a few defensive miscues and West Johnston’s explosive sixth inning proved decisive.
The bottom of the second inning marked Southern Wayne’s high point in the contest. After a scoreless first, Drayden McKee opened the inning with a sharply hit single to left field. Austin Watson followed with a line drive that dropped into shallow right, giving the Saints two runners aboard with one out.
With two outs and runners on base, Logan Deming stepped to the plate and showed patience, drawing a walk to load the bases. Channing Grady then hit a slow grounder to the left side. Though it looked like a routine out, West Johnston misplayed the ball, allowing McKee to come home with the game’s first run.
The Saints led 1–0 and looked poised to build momentum. Although the inning ended shortly after, the team had successfully applied pressure and taken an early lead against a traditionally strong opponent.
Starting pitcher Drayden McKee delivered a composed and effective outing through the first four innings. He mixed pitches well, working both sides of the plate and keeping West Johnston’s hitters off balance. In the early frames, McKee induced soft contact, allowing his infield—particularly Kameron Leneay at second and Tyler Odom at third—to make routine outs.
McKee worked around a threat in the top of the third, when West Johnston placed two runners aboard with one out. A ground ball to second brought in the tying run, but the right-hander limited further damage by recording a flyout to center and a swinging strikeout to strand a runner.
Through four innings, McKee had allowed just one run and scattered three hits, keeping the game locked in a 1–1 tie.
Southern Wayne continued to create scoring opportunities, but they struggled to bring runners across after the second inning. In the fourth, Watson reached base again with a single, his second of the night. He advanced to second on a fielder’s choice, but the Saints left him stranded when a hard-hit ball from Deming was caught on a leaping grab by West Johnston’s shortstop.
The Saints showed good plate discipline throughout the game. Both Ben Hope and Hayden Waller worked deep counts, while Odom fouled off multiple pitches during a grinding fifth-inning at-bat. However, the key hit to extend rallies never came. Several line drives found gloves, and the Saints entered the sixth still tied 1–1.
The game shifted dramatically in the top of the sixth. West Johnston opened the inning with back-to-back hits, followed by a walk to load the bases. Southern Wayne made a pitching change, bringing in Tyler Odom in relief of McKee.
With one out and runners on, West Johnston capitalized with a sacrifice fly that gave them a 2–1 lead. That would have been manageable, but what followed proved difficult for the Saints to overcome. A pair of well-placed hits pushed two more runs across, and an infield error extended the inning. West Johnston added three additional runs before the frame closed, turning a 1–1 stalemate into a 7–1 advantage in the blink of an eye.
The Saints’ defense, solid through five innings, faltered under the pressure of West Johnston’s aggressive offense. Miscommunications and fielding mistakes, combined with timely hits by the visitors, broke the game open.
In the top of the seventh, West Johnston tacked on two more runs, using a double into the left-field corner to drive in a pair. Southern Wayne turned again to its bullpen to finish out the inning, eventually closing it on a fly ball to center.
To their credit, the Saints continued to battle in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs, McKee stepped in and delivered his second hit of the game another sharp single to right. Watson followed with a grounder that was mishandled, allowing both runners to reach safely. The Saints had a late opportunity to chip into the deficit, but a pop-up to short ended the contest.
Though the 9–1 loss was a tough result, Southern Wayne showed encouraging signs early in the contest. The pitching was competitive, the bats made contact, and the defense held firm until the sixth. Cleaning up mistakes in high-pressure innings and finding clutch hits with runners aboard will be key for the Saints going forward.
As the team turns its attention to upcoming conference play, they’ll aim to carry forward the focus from the early innings of this game. With leaders like McKee and Watson stepping up, and younger contributors gaining experience, Southern Wayne remains a group with potential still unfolding.
