Willis throws no-hitter, Dixon goes deep at Grayson County

Logan Willis pitched a no-hitter and Cole Dixon hit a home run during the Hornets’ 18-0 win at Grayson County Monday. The game was called after four innings due to the run rule.

Things looked ominous for Grayson County early after Dixon led off the game with a home run to left field. Kaleb Keown was hit by a pitch and later scored on a wild pitch. Three walks later Austin Volocko jogged home and Jack Roberts was waved in after Ryan Jones was hit by a pitch with the bases still loaded.

Aiden Taylor’s sacrifice fly scored Jack Duncan and the Hornets batted around the line up. Dixon cracked a base hit that brought in Colin Johnson and two more runs scored before the third out
was finally made.

The lead was 8-0 when Willis walked to the mound, but the score didn’t matter. The senior hurler set batters down 1-2-3 then the Hornets continued the onslaught offensively.

Hancock County opened the third inning with five consecutive base hits and when the dust settled the score was 14-0. The Hornets added four more runs in the fourth and after two strike outs and a ground out by the Cougars in the home half of the inning the game was called.

Willis allowed no runs on no hits, with seven Ks and no walks over four innings. He was one hit batsmen away from a perfect game.
Dixon was 4 for 4 at the plate with four runs scored and three RBI. Keown was 2 for 2 with two RBI, Drew Lyday was 2 for 4 with a double, Johnson was 1 for 3 with three RBI, Jones was 1 for 1 with one RBI, Roberts was 1 for 2 with one RBI, Taylor was 1 for 2 with one RBI, Volocko was 1 for 4 with one RBI and three runs scored. Duncan walked and scored a run.

Whitesville Trinity Kolby Keown struck out nine batters in a relief role and the Hornets earned their first win of the season when they defeated Whitesville Trinity 7-4 at Vastwood Park’s Tommy Keown Field Thursday.

Hancock County scored five runs in the first inning. Austin Volocko delivered the first run on a ground ball to score Drew Lyday. Volocko and Logan Willis both crossed home plate on a fly ball base hit by Jack Duncan. Ryan Jones had an RBI hit and later scored from second on an error and it looked like a blowout was in order.

Trinity had other ideas and they plated three runs in the second to make the score 5-3.

Colin Johnson singled home Jones in the third to put HCHS ahead by three runs (6-3).
Cole Dixon led off the fourth with a base hit and the all-time steals leader added one to his total when he stole second. Dixon later scored on an error and the score was 7-3. Keown came on in relief of Jordan Payne in the second inning and he and the Hornet defense did a number on the Trinity batters. The freshman allowed just one run over the next five frames.

Whitesville’s final run came in the seventh before the final out was recorded.

Keown (W) allowed one run on five hits, with nine Ks and three walks over 5.2 innings. Payne pitched 1.1 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on no hits, with three Ks and three walks. N. Hernandez took the loss for Whitesville.

Lyday was 2 for 4 at the plate and Johnson was 1 for 3 with one RBI. Jones was 1 for 4 with one RBI and Dixon was 1 for 4. Aiden Taylor stole two bases. Dixon, Lyday, Kaleb Keown and Jones all had one steal each.

By Steve Wimmer