In a game heard on WHOW and all its digital platforms, the Clinton Maroons defeated the Central A&M Raiders 12-2 in a five-inning Central Illinois Conference run-rule victory on Friday night in Clinton.
The Maroons struck first in the bottom half of the first. Leadoff and second spot hitters Jack Manning and Josh Bass both singled, and were both brought home by a Jaxon Reynolds RBI Double two batters later to take a 2-0 lead.
In the second, Cole Fentress advanced on a walk, stole second and third, and came home on an error from the Raiders catcher for the lone run of the inning to build the lead to 3-0.
Central A&M's Zachary Snow was hit by a pitch in the top of the third, followed by a Kadyn Higgins single. A walk of Ty Burgener loaded the bases, and Logan Kelly hit a single to score Snow and Higgins and make it 3-2.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Maroons rallied to add three more runs, highlighted by Reynolds second double of the day and a Ryan Pine RBI single. They exploded in the following inning with five more runs to make it 11-2, thanks to Stone Stith's RBI double that scored Brock Wilson and Cole Fentress's RBI single, which scored Mitchell Cornwell.
Reynolds posted a perfect 3-for-3 outing with two RBIs and two runs scored. Stith was 3-for-4 with a run scored and a pair of RBIs. Pine was 1-for-3 but scored twice and batted one in. Fentress added a 1-for-2 performance with a pair of runs and two RBIs.
On the mound, Jack Manning tossed four innings of two-run ball, allowing two hits while striking out six and walking two. Cooper Massey earned the save with just a single inning pitched, allowing one hit.
Zachary Snow was also perfect, going 1-for-1 with a run scored. Kadyn Higgins was 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Logan Kelly went 1-for-2.
Marshall Minnot started for Central A&M, pitching three innings and allowing six runs on seven hits. He struck out three. Parker Elliot came in for an inning of relief, also allowing six runs on just four hits and walking four.
With the win, Clinton improves to 10-7 and 3-1 in the Central Illinois Conference, while Central A&M falls to 4-7 and 0-3 in the CIC.
The Maroons take on Riverton at home on Saturday at 10 AM.
