A good Knight for Cayce
West Columbia at Cayce, Brookland- Cayce High School, July 2
Story and Photos by Mike Maddock mike@thecolumbiastar.com

Cayce's Lucas Knight takes a lead from second base while West Columbia shortstop Garrett Crumpton tries to hold him on base. Knight went two for four with a home run, three runs, and three RBI.

Lucas Knight went two for four with three runs and a three- run home run to help Cayce Post 130 overcome a scrappy West Columbia Post 79 team 8- 7 in 11 innings at Brookland- Cayce High School.
West Columbia 7
Cayce (11 Innings) 8

Knight's three- run blast over the left- center field fence off West Columbia starter Luke Beasley was part of a four- run sixth inning that gave Cayce a seemingly comfortable 7- 2 lead, but West Columbia battled back in the top of the seventh.

Beasley drew a walk, then Derrick Fulmer got the third of his four hits on the night for West Columbia. Kevin Hansen, who had previously hit, two doubles, got his third hit and loaded the bases for Nick Miklosky. Miklosky was plunked by Cayce starting pitcher Thomas Little allowing Beasley to score from third.

Cas Starnes then hit a dribbler back to Little at the mound allowing Little to throw Fulmer out at home. Pinch hitter Charles Ball then stepped to the plate with the bases still loaded. He drilled a two strike pitch to right field scoring Henson and Miklosky. Starnes eventually scored on a past ball drawing West Columbia within one at 7- 6.

Preston Solle came on in relief of Beasley two outs into the sixth inning and pitched two and one- third scoreless innings.

Cayce's Corey Rivers relieved Little in the eighth inning. He hit Beasley with a pitch, then Beasley stole second base. Fulmer then got his fourth hit of the night driving in Beasley and knotting the score at 7- 7.

The score would remain 7- 7 until the bottom of the eleventh inning thanks to some great relief pitching from both teams. Fulmer stepped in for West Columbia in the ninth and tenth innings striking out five of the eight batters he faced. Meanwhile, Rivers bounced back from the eighth inning to strike out two of three in the ninth.

Derrick Raybon entered the game for Cayce in the tenth and retired five of six West Columbia batters.

Raybon then got Cayce going in the bottom of the eleventh with single to left field off reliever Garrett Crumpton. Zach Hicks followed with a well- earned walk in which he fought off a 1- 2 count by fouling off three pitches. Curtis Murphy then ripped a single to left field loading the bases with no outs.

West Columbia's Derrick Fulmer went four for six from the plate with an RBI. He also struck out five Cayce batters in two innings of relief.

West Columbia nearly escaped the inning when Cayce's suicide squeeze bunt attempt failed, and Raybon was tagged out in a run- down. Crumpton then struck out Little. Griffin Spires then drew a walk to load the bases again. Crumpton then walked Rivers allowing Hicks to walk home from third base to give Cayce the 8- 7 victory.

Cayce improves to 6- 9 while West Columbia drops to 2- 14.

Cayce catcher Steven Griggs collects an infield hit and throws the runner out at first. Cayce starting pitcher Thomas Little pitched five scoreless innings.