KLAMATH FALLS, Ore – The Henley Hornets (18-1; 10-0) blasted the Phoenix Pirates (6-14; 2-8) in a double-header on Thursday that featured two run-rule decisions. Here is how each game unfolded.
GAME 1: HENLEY 17, PHOENIX 5
This game started on Tuesday and was rained out in the bottom the second inning. The postponement came after Henley plated six runs. Two of those runs came on a Mark Carpenter home run, his league leading sixth of the season. Sam Shilts started the game on Tuesday for Phoenix and worked 1.2 innings giving up eight hits and eight earned runs. When the game resumed on Thursday he was relived by Caden Cunningham who quickly got the Pirates out of the second inning.
When the bottom of the third inning began, it was like the previous inning never ended. Payton Price tripled to knock in a run followed by a Connor Shively single to score Price. Later, Carpenter knocked in his third and fourth RBI of the game on a double. Henley would tack on six runs in the third, and three more in the fourth.
A 17 run onslaught for Henley allowed Beau Pyle to collect his fourth win on the mound this season. The starter for Henley pitched 2.1 innings allowing one hit, two earned runs, and striking out four Pirates batters. Owen Harper worked in relief for 2.2 innings without allowing an earned run. He also struck out five hitters.
Payton Price finished 3-3 on the day with two RBI and Mark Carpenter went 2-4 with four RBI. Connor Shively, Aiden Hayes, Beau Pyle, Owen Harper, Max Price, Corbin Hamilton, and Luke Auston each added one RBI.
GAME 2: HENLEY 18, PHOENIX 3
The Pirates struck first in this one when Lucca Petrone hit a groundball that was misplayed by Aiden Hayes. Jackson Shilts and Ryan Watts scored on the error. Henley responded in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Connor Shively. Henley trailed after the first inning for only the second time since beginning Skyline Conference play on April 6th.
They didn’t trail for long as the Hornets scored 12 runs in the bottom of the second inning. The rally began when Ian Meyer rapped a base hit to left to knock in a run. Aiden Hayes followed suite with an RBI single to left and Shively did the same. Owen Harper and Beau Pyle switched the action to center field for their RBI base hits. Shively also hit a triple later in the inning to improve his RBI total in the game to three.
Henley continued scoring, adding three runs in the third, and two more in the fourth. Phoenix would score one more run in the third inning when Sam Shilts singled to plate Watts.
Corbin Hamilton pitched all five innings for Henley and allowed five hits, one earned run, and struck out six. Karver Wolowicz collected the loss for Phoenix. In 2.1 innings of work he allowed 13 hits and 11 earned runs.
Hayes was remarkable going 4-4 at the plate with two RBI. Shively went 3-4 and added three RBI. Ian Meyers collected two hits and four RBI in the contest and Max Price was the only other Hornet on the day with multiple hits, going 2-3 and two RBI
The Hornets will take on Klamath Union (4-14; 3-7) on Saturday for a noon double-header at Kiger Stadium. Phoenix will play the Pelicans on Tuesday next week.