Monday sports: Hernando baseball hammers Horn Lake

Photo: Hernando’s Graham Carter is ready at the plate in Monday’s 11-1 victory over Horn Lake Monday in Hernando. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)

The Hernando baseball Tigers are at 8-1 in Region 3-6A play and won its 20th overall victory of the season (20-4) Monday night with an 11-1, six-inning victory over county rival Horn Lake at Tiger Field. 

A six-run third inning proved to be the difference for the Tigers, which finished the game in the sixth when Eli Rogers’ sacrifice fly scored Canon Fort from third for the final run of the contest.  

Will Craft led the offense for Hernando with three runs scored after a pair of doubles.  Topher Jones collected three hits, including a pair of doubles, and drove in three runs. 

Hallas Lawson tripled for the other Hernando extra-base hit in the victory.  

“Hallas has come back after not playing a lot last year,” Hernando coach David Lara said. “This year, he has really stepped up as a leader, both offensively and defensively.”

Hayden Carlini struck out three in five innings of work on the mound. Connor Young worked the sixth inning and struck out two.  

Meanwhile, Rob Hayes’ walkoff hit in the bottom of the seventh gave the Northpoint Christian baseball Trojans a 2-1 victory over Evangelical Christian in a game played at Northpoint.

Hayes’ base hit with one out scored Isaiah Norton from third for the game-winning run in a huge defensive battle between the teams.  

Pitchers Conner McKnatt and KL Farr combined to strike out 14 Eagles and hold ECS to just one hit in the Northpoint win. Meanwihile, ECS pitchers held Northpoint to just singles from Nolan, McKnatt, and the game-winner from Hayes.  

The Trojans improved to 15-1-1 for the season.  

In high school softball, DeSoto Central needed nine innings to defeat Booneville 3-2. The Lady Devils scored a run in the sixth innings to send the game to extras. Each team scored a run in the eighth and the Lady Jags’ run in the ninth inning for the victory.  

Katelyn Short had two hits for DeSoto Central in the win (12-9) while Colby Young struck out 16 Booneville batters from the circle.  

Monday, April 10

Prep baseball

• Hernando 11, Horn Lake 1
  • Hernando: Will Craft (3 runs, 2 2Bs), Topher Jones (3 hits, 2 2Bs, 3 RBIs), Hayden Carlini (5 IP, 3 Ks)  
• Northpoint Christian 2, Evangelical Christian 1
  • Northpoint Christian: (Conner McKnatt 6.1 IP, 12 Ks)

Prep softball

• Collierville, Tenn. 15, Olive Branch 2 (5 innings)
• DeSoto Central 3, Booneville 2 (9 innings)
  • DeSoto Central: Katelyn Short (2 hits) Colby Young (9 IP, 16 Ks)  

JUCO baseball

• Jackson State, Tenn. 11, at Northwest 5
  • Jacob Hill (2 hits), John Blockman (2 hits, 2B, 2 RBIs), Brandon Bluckman (2 hits, 2B, 2 RBIs), Cade Greer (2.2 IP, 3 Ks)