With star Karson Evans back in the lineup, Seminary takes 1-0 series lead over Southeast Lauderdale

MERIDIAN — Seminary just kept answering.

That was the theme Thursday night, as the Bulldogs held on to beat Southeast Lauderdale 9-6 in Game 1 of the Third Round of the their MHSAA Class 3A Baseball playoff series on Thursday night at Tiger Field.

Game 2 is set for 7 p.m. Friday night at Seminary. If necessary, Game 3 will be back at SE Lauderdale at 7 p.m. Monday night.

“We swung the bats well tonight, but we got to clean up our defense,” said Seminary coach Clay Bush. “We kept putting pressure on them throughout the game and glad we fortunate enough to come away with the win. Now we got to win one more.”

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Seminary couldn’t have asked for better start, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, highlighted by a three-run home run to left field by Tyler Keys.

Logan Craft added a RBI single to center in the top of the second inning to extend the Bulldogs lead to 5-0.

SE Lauderdale chipped their way back into the game as they cut the Seminary lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the second on a throwing error and RBI single by Shade Hollingsworth.

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The Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the third on another Bulldog error and a RBI single by Camden Cooper.

Seminary retook the lead in the top of the fourth at 7-5 on a double by Logan Craft and Eli McNease was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Nathan Wilson had a RBI double in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Seminary to 7-6.

The Bulldogs (19-11) added a run in the fifth and seventh to extend their lead to 9-6.

“Great way to start scoring four runs in the first, but we kept giving them extra outs and not playing good defense and they made us pay for it,” Bush said. “Tucker has been good for us all year. He competed and through strikes and kept us in the game.”

Tucker Woods (6-2) got the win on the mound for Seminary lasting six and two-third, giving up seven hits, six runs (two earned), walked three and had three strikeouts.

Woods along with Craft and Donovan Hale had two hits to lead the Bulldogs offensively.

“Our bats have been really hot and that’s what’s been keeping us in games,” said Louisiana Tech signee and Seminary infielder Karson Evans, who made his season debut last week after missing all of the regular season and first round of playoffs due to a shoulder injury. “Feels good and feels like I haven’t been out at all and we started out really slow and now we’ve fought back to where we are now.”

Tyson Marlow took the loss for Southeast Lauderdale. Cooper and Wilson had two hits each for the Tigers (22-10).

“We didn’t throw enough strikes and giving up as many walks as we did doesn’t give us much of a chance,” said SE Lauderdale coach Shay Cooper. “They hit the ball well, but we got to do better on the mound tomorrow. Proud of the kids they fought to the very end.”