Midway Takes Two from Sunbright as Buckner Throws Perfect Game

April 12, 2022 admin featured

By Terry Futrell

With several players out of town on spring break, including three starters, Sunbright Tiger Coach Kit Rogers did not have a lot of options as his team faced the tough Midway Greenwave in a Tuesday evening double-header.

Buckner pitches perfect game for 14-0 Midway victory

Midway’s Braden Buckner pitched a perfect game against Sunbright, striking out 11 batters in four innings. [Photo by Terry Futrell]

Midway took the first game 14-0 behind the pitching of Braden Buckner, who threw a perfect game against the Tigers. Buckner pitched four full innings, striking out 11, with no hits and no walks. Buckner had the full support of his teammates, who hammered Sunbright pitcher Noah Bunch for 11 hits and 14 runs in three innings. Bunch walked six Midway batters, while striking out three.

Heavy hitters for Midway included Caiden Brewer (2 for 3 with two runs), Buckner (1 for 1 with two runs), Evan Lemons (2 for 3 with two runs), Ethan Melton (2 for 2 with three runs), and Rylan Brewer (2 for 3 with one run).

Melton led off the second inning by hitting the ball over the left field fence. Lemons hit a 3-run homer in the bottom of the third, and Melton immediately followed suit by putting another one out of the park.

Midway took the run-rule victory 14-0 in three and one-half innings.

Sunbright first baseman Zade Shannon stretches as Midway batter Rylan Brewer attempts to beat the throw. [Photo by Terry Futrell]

Midway takes second game 9-2

Finn Rogers took the mound for Sunbright in the second game, and Coleman Ellison toed the rubber for Midway.

Midway took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a single by Rylan Brewer. Sunbright got on the board in the bottom of the first when Bunch singled on a line drive to right field, scoring Houston Bryant.

Midway added one run in the top of the second, with Rogers limiting the Greenwave to one hit, a single by Travis Shaw. Sunbright put two batters on base who were hit by pitches in the bottom of the second but left them stranded with Midway leading 3-1.

Brewer singled in the top of the third and later stole home for Midway’s fourth run. Sunbright went 3 up and 3 down in the bottom of the third and Midway’s lead remained 4-0.

Midway batters Shaw, Holt Owens, and John Kevorkian singled in the top of the fourth. Add in a walk, three consecutive errors by the Tigers, and a hit batter and Midway exploded for five more runs. Levi Walker took the mound for Sunbright and closed out the fourth inning. Owens took the mound for Midway and Sunbright failed to reach base. Midway led 9-1 after four innings.

Walker held Midway hitless in the top of the fifth. Sunbright’s Rogers reach base on a Midway error, stole second, then advanced to third and home on two additional Midway errors. Owens struck out the two remaining Sunbright batters and Midway took the victory 9-2.

For Sunbright, Rogers allowed nine runs on six hits and five walks in 3.2 innings, while striking out four. Walker pitched 1.1 innings and allowed no hits with no walks and struck out one. Midway’s Ellison pitched 3 innings and allowed one run on one hit and no walks with five strikeouts. Owens pitched 2 innings , allowing no hits with one run and no walks, striking out six Sunbright batters.