Submitted Photo/GREG ADKINS Mingo Central lost its first baseball game of the season 11-8 to Pike Central on Wednesday at the Gilbert baseball field. The Miners are now 2-1 on the season. Pictured above Mingo’s Gabriel Vinson attempts to tag out a PC base runner at first during a pickoff play.

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By KYLE LOVERN

Sports Editor

GILBERT – The Miners of Mingo Central lost their first baseball game on Wednesday, a hard-fought 11-8 battle with visiting Pike Central at the Gilbert field.

Pike Central led 5-4 heading into the 4^th inning and scored six runs to take a commanding lead. Mingo Central scored two in the bottom of the 4^th and two in the bottom of the 7^th, but could not overtake the Hawks.

“The 4^th inning was out downfall. We had to fight out of a hole all night, but the kids battled the entire game,” said head coach Walt Cline. “The kids showed a lot of heart and desire and never game up on the game.”

“We have a tough schedule and I expect to have several games that the guys will have to give the same type of effort. Chris Atkins came in the game as a relief pitcher and did an outstanding job,” Cline added. “He gave us a chance to get back in the game.”

“As we get a few more games in I know we have guys that will get on track,” Cline said. “We’ll start hitting the ball a little sharper and those ground ball outs will be hart hit balls past the infielders or line drives, as we get a few more at bats.”

Austin Reed and John May led Mingo Central with three hits each including two doubles, Gabriel Vinson had two hits with a double, Jacob Staton, Joe May and Atkins each had a single.

Staton was the losing pitcher in 3 1/3 innings, giving up eight runs on eight hits. The winning pitcher was Robbie Hopkins for Pike Central. Zack Scruggins and Jeff Coleman worked on the mound in relief.

Score by innings:

Pike Central … 2 1 2 6 0 0 0 – 11

Mingo Central ..1 3 0 2 0 0 2 - 8