Magnolia pushed in seven runs on eight hits and got three solid relief innings from Justin “Tank” Fox to come from behind and win 11-7 over the North Marion Huskies at Mullett Field on April 7.

North Marion sent nine batters to the plate to open the game, scoring three runs on three singles and three Eagle errors. Marion also added a run in the top of the fourth, aided by a walk, followed by a pair of stolen bases and a Blue Eagle throwing error.

That gave North Marion a 4-0 lead before another Eagle walk, stolen base and another error that drove the score to 5-0 with none of the runs earned. In three and a half innings, the Blue had no hits, but committed four costly errors.

But, the momentum quickly turned in a big way, as the Eagles’ Andrew Goddard, Fox and Mason Rine produced back-to-back-to-back singles followed by a two-run Davey Howell double to cut the Husky advantage to 5-3. Landon Herrick walked, Jordan Moore, Chuckie McElaney, Seth Pay and Fox once more all brought in runs with singles to give Magnolia 6-5 advantage.

Fox’s second hit of the inning plated the final tally of the inning to push the Blue Eagle lead to 7-5 after four innings of play.

The Huskies greeted MHS reliever Goddard with a single and a towering home run to left field, knotting the game at seven. However, Magnolia Head Coach Dave Cisar sent in the highly talented Fox to put out the Huskies’ fire, and he didn’t allow another run the rest of the way. Fox struck out five and walked none.

“We put ourselves behind the eight ball in the first inning, but our kids never gave up,” said Cisar. “You know, it’s easy to be a front runner. But, when you get knocked down, that’s when you see what you’re made of.

“We came from behind and beat a veteran club there,” Cisar continued. “I can’t say who was the hero, but I know we got some big, timely hits. Justin came in and did a nice job. I am real happy using him three innings of relief pitching and I feel like we are a stronger team when we can do that. It’s better to use him like that, than pitch him seven innings and have him down for five or six days.”

Magnolia scored the eventual game-winner in the bottom of the fifth when pitch runner Tyler Myers scored on a dropped fly ball that would have ended the inning. But, the play of the game came soon after. Moore singled and was replaced on the bases by Chase Cain. Cain was thrown out at home on a head-first slide when Jayson Keller hit what appeared to be a safe double.

The Eagles added three insurance runs in the sixth, including a run-scoring double by Fox, his third hit and second RBI of the afternoon. Pay walked and stole second and went to third on Goddard’s sacrifice bunt with two strikes.

Pay was chased home on a Fox double down the left field line. Rine walked. Fox and Rine both moved into scoring position when the Husky pitcher balked. Howell was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Fox and Rine scored on a North Marion miscue.

“We found something out about ourselves,” said Cisar. “That is the kind of win that can be a turning point on a team’s season.”

*****

Magnolia scored eight runs in the sixth inning on eight hits, enroute to a 12-0 mercy-rule shortened decision over River April 6 in Hannibal.

Kyle Elliott struck out four, limited the Big Red Machine to a pair of singles and walked one in gaining the nod for the Eagles, while Eagle offense accumulated 14 hits, four of which were extra base hits.

In the top of the first, Seth Pay singled and moved to second on a pass ball and scored on a Andrew Goddard single. Goddard went to second on another pass ball, stole third but was thrown out at the plate from the outfield after a fly out by Justin Fox.

Magnolia tallied another run in the second frame. After a ground out, Elliott reached on an error and moved to third base on a single by Landon Herrick. He scored on a sacrifice fly by Traeh Keller for a 2-0 advantage.

The Pilots put out the Eagles in order in the third and got them out in the fourth on three ground outs. However, the Eagles tallied two more runs in the fifth frame to grab a 4-0 lead. Keller and Pay both singled. Goddard’s sacrifice bunt moved the base runners up a notch before Fox plated them both on a double.

Magnolia scored eight runs on eight hits in the sixth frame. Davey Howell reached first base on an error. After a comebacker for an out, Herrick started the fireworks with a single that scored Howell. Keller laid down a perfect bunt for a single and Pay knocked in Herrick with a double. Goddard singled, scoring two more runs, while Mason Rine, Jordan Moore and Chuckie McElaney each added singles. Howell doubled home two more runs and Elliott doubled home another run for the 12th run of the game.

Jordan and Devann Potts each singled for the Pilots.

Pay led the Eagles with a double, two singles, while plating a run and scoring three times. Goddard, McElaney, Herrick, Moore and Keller each added a pair of singles, while Howell, Elliott, and Fox each doubled.

The Eagles’ Seth Pay was a home run shy of hitting for the cycle to lead Magnolia to a 8-1 victory over the St. Marys Blue Devils April 10 in St. Marys.

Pay ended the night with a triple, a double and two singles. He also knocked in two runs.

While Pay was making the Devils pay, Blue Eagle freshman Kyle Elliott picked up the win from the mound by limiting the hosts to one run on seven hits, while striking out three Devil batters. Justin Fox got in the fun with a single and a triple, while Chuckie McElaney added a three-bagger.

Jordan Moore – getting back to near 100 percent from a leg injury – smacked a pair of singles, while Elliot helped himself out at the dish with a single. Mason Rine added a sacrifice fly for the 7-2 Eagles, while the Devils fell to 9-3 on the season.