By COSMO COSSEY
Sports Connection Team
HOT SPRINGS – Harrisburg (20-12), the fourth seed out of the 3A-3 Regional, had a tough day at the plate against Genoa Central (19-4), the first seed out of the 3A-4 Regional, in their 7-1 loss in the opening round of the Class 3A State baseball tournament this past Thursday.
Max Tracy struck out leading off for the Hornets as Caden Williams drew a walk. Eastin Gray reached on a fielder's choice as Williams made it safely to second base. Trey Blackwood and Drake Masters both struck out to leave the runners on base. Genoa Central got runners on first and second with two outs before Tracy got a pop out to end the inning. Jax Mross walked for the Hornets leading off the top of the second inning as Axel Heeb followed with a single. Peyton Self looked at strike three before Rylan Howton's fielder's choice forced Heeb at second base with Mross moving to third. Tracy grounded out for the third out. The Dragons used two walks, three hits and a sacrifice play to plate two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-0 lead after two innings.
Williams singled leading off for Harrisburg in the top of third inning before Gray grounded into a double play. Blackwood followed with a ground out for out three. A lead-off double by Genoa Central ended Tracy's day on the mound as Blackwood came in to pitch for the Hornets. Masters walked leading off for Harrisburg in the top of the fourth before being forced at second on Moss' fielder's choice grounder. Hebe singled only to see Self fly out and Horton ground out. Genoa Central got a out-out double only to leave him there in the bottom half of the inning.
Tracy singled leading off the top of the fifth inning and moved to second on Williams' sacrifice bunt. Gray grounded as Tracy moved to third before scoring on a single by Blackwood to make it 3-1 Dragons. Masters reached on an error as Mross popped out for out three. Genoa Central got runners on the corners with two outs as Blackwood induced a fly ball to end the inning. Heeb struck out and Self grounded out for the first two outs in the top of the sixth inning as Howton reached on a single. Tracy's ground ball forced Howton at second base for the third out. The Dragons plated four runs in the bottom of sixth to push their lead to 7-1 as the Hornets went three up and three down in the top of the seventh inning as Williams grounded out, Gray flew out, and Blackwood looked at strike three to end the game.
Blackwood had a hit and a RBI to lead the Hornets while Tracy had a hit and a run scored. Heeb finished with two hits while Williams and Howton each had a hit for the Hornets. Tracy was tagged with the loss as he worked two innings giving up three runs on four hits with three walks. Blackwood worked the last four innings allowing four runs on eight hits with two walks, a strikeout and a hit batter.