Last week was a big week for Nich Morrow and the Louisville Wildcats.
The first-year head coach watched his team drop the first 14games of the season and the first 13 of those games had the opposing team scoring double digit runs with five shutouts. But Morrow’s team has fought through and continued to get better and on Friday, he finally got his players to break through.
After losing a tough 4-1 game to Leake Central on Tuesday, Louisville came home on Friday and let out the frustration on the Gators. With12 runs in the first and another eight in the second inning, the Wildcats broke through for the first win of the season in a 20-1 affair in just three innings.
“I’m so proud of our boys for being able to get one,” Morrow said. “It was a great feeling, especially having my family there to experience it. It’s a really good feeling.”
The Wildcats (1-14, 1-7 Class 4A, Region 4) were patient at the plate walking 11 times in two innings and they added another six hits to help break the game open. Caleb Hughes and Nicholas Jackson had three RBI each along with a hit and Nigel Anderson and Caden Thomkins finished with two RBI while garnering a hit a piece. Aaryion Johnson walked three times.
Isaiah Hardin also had the best pitching performance of the season for the Wildcats. The junior went all three innings and threw a no-hitter while his one walk did come around to score. He struck out three batters as well.
It was the second-straight game that the Wildcats have held the opponent below 10 runs after 13-straight double digit scoring out puts against them. IN the tough 4-1 loss, Jace Hudspeth threw 6.0 innings, gave up five hits, four runs and four walks and struck out seven batters. LHS couldn’t get enough offense to have a chance.
Of the five hits, four of them came from the top four in the lineup. Hughes drove in the only run of the game.
With the first win of the year down, the Wildcats are looking to continue to improve and end the season strong down the stretch. This week they will play the final Region 4 games of the season as they travel to Choctaw Central on Tuesday and come back home on Friday for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Warriors.
