By John Spargo
Special to The News Observer
The Fannin County baseball team finished a home and home series with the Murray County Indians Monday, February 28, in Chatsworth. Senior Chance Stacy pitched a beauty, throwing a two-hitter and striking out eight, while junior Connor Martin went 3-4 at the plate, leading the Rebels to an 8-0 shutout of Murray.
Fannin’s Bryson Holloway, a junior, got on base with an error, but a double play and a lineout ended the top of the first inning.
Stacy pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half of the inning, after the Indians collected two singles and a walk.
Stacy slammed the door shut, however, striking out the last two batters of the inning to keep the game scoreless.
Stacy had a double in the second inning, but the Rebels couldn’t drive him in and headed to the home half of the inning. The Rebels turned a nifty double play to end the second, but couldn’t muster up any baserunners in the top of the third.
In the top of the fourth inning, Fannin looked to take the lead, and Martin got them off to a great start by roping a double to left field. Senior Jason Pearson followed with a single, and Stacy drove the two in with a single to center field giving the Rebels a 2-0 advantage.
After Stacy shutdown Murray with a three up and three down fourth, Fannin went right back to work as junior Hayden Danner singled to center. Senior Jordan Bennett came on to run for Danner and scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Holloway, giving Fannin a 3-0 lead.
Senior Landon Norton walked and Martin singled to give Fannin another great opportunity to pad their lead. Pearson ripped a double to right field, driving in Norton and increasing the Rebel lead to 4-0.
Another 1-2-3 inning by Stacy put Fannin right back in the batter’s box, and it didn’t take long for them to expand their lead. Senior Jake Kuna led off with a walk, and freshman Colton Gray was hit by a pitch, but the next two batters struck out.
Murray could not pitch their way out of the inning, though, as Holloway delivered a clutch, two-out double, scoring Kuna and Gray, and giving Fannin County a 6-0 cushion.
Another flawless inning from Stacy on the mound gave Fannin an opportunity to blow the game wide open in the top of the seventh inning, and they did just that.
Martin singled, followed by a walk to Pearson, to set up the Rebels. A RBI groundout by senior Sawyer Moreland increased the lead to 7-0, and an error sent Pearson home to make the score 8-0, in favor of the Rebels.
Stacy got the first two Indians to pop out and after a walk, a ground out to shortstop ended the game, giving Fannin a two-game sweep of Murray County.
In addition to Martin’s three hits, Pearson and Stacy chipped in two hits apiece to lead the Fannin offense. Holloway had three RBI’s to lead the team and Martin scored two runs.
Stacy didn’t give up a base hit after the first inning and only walked two Murray batters, allowing no runs.
Scoring Summary:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 - Final
FCHS 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 - 8
MCHS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0