Michael Jorgensen fired a one-hit shutout to lead Manila to a 10-0 whitewash over Walnut Ridge in the first round of the 3A District Tournament Tuesday at Lake City. The five-inning victory sends Manila into this week’s regional tournament beginning Thursday at Lion Field.
The Lions scored three times in the first and once in the second before adding three spots in the fourth and fifth frames to close out the victory.
Brett Sweatman led Manila at the plate, going 3-4 with four RBI, two runs scored and a double. Abraham Lopez socked a pair of doubles and drove in two runs while Brady Clark went 2-3 with two RBI. Brock Birmingham singled, doubled and scored twice. Jorgensen helped his own cause with a pair of hits and two runs scored. Ethan Navarro knocked in a run with a single while Anthony Lopez had a base hit.
In Wednesday’s semifinals, Corning blasted the Lions 12-3. The Bobcats got four runs in the first and two in the second to take a 6-1 lead. Manila scored twice in the top of the third to cut the deficit in half, but Corning responded with three in the bottom of the inning and two more in the fourth to go ahead 11-3. The Bobcats closed out the scoring with a run in the seventh.
Sweatman went 1/3 of an inning and took the loss, giving up four runs, two earned, on just one hit. The senior right hander struggled finding the plate, walking four batters in the opening inning. Navarro came on in relief and hurled 2 1/3 innings, giving up five runs, all earned, on seven hits, including a pair of home runs. Birmingham pitched the final three innings for the Lions, allowing three runs on four hits.
Sweatman and Clark delivered RBI singles for Manila, while Birmingham and Navarro also contributed a base hit apiece.
Manila outlasted Piggott 3-1 in Thursday’s third place game. Jorgensen again picked up a win, throwing seven complete innings of six-hit, one-run baseball. Jorgensen fanned seven and walked just one batter.
The Lions got a run in the second. With two outs, Layne Sims reached on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Anthony Lopez followed with a solid base hit up the middle, scoring Sims, and giving the Lions an early 1-0 lead.
Manila tacked on two more in the third inning. Clark reached on a fielder’s choice. Sweatman walked, sending Clark to second. Abraham Lopez laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners to second and third. Navarro cracked an RBI single, scoring Clark and giving the Lions a 2-0 lead. A passed ball allowed Sweatman to score and Manila increased their advantage to 3-0.
Piggott pushed across its only run of the game in the fourth inning, but couldn’t score again as the Lions earned the number three seed in this week’s regional.
Jorgensen went 2-4 at the plate. Navarro and Anthony Lopez both had RBI hits while Sweatman singled and scored once and Birmingham added a base hit.
Manila will take on two seed Valley Springs Thursday afternoon at 5:30 in 3A regional first round action.