Pirates blank Hornbeck to win Class C crown
Published 2:45 am Sunday, May 16, 2021
SULPHUR – A decade after winning their last championship, the top-ranked Hicks Pirates are back on top of the mountain.
Zach Haymon fired a three-hitter, while Aiden Coffman doubled and scored two runs as the Pirates defeated District 3-C rival and sixth-seeded Hornbeck in the Class C finals on Saturday at McMurry Park in Sulphur, 4-0.
Haymon, the game's Most Outstanding Player, pitched efficiently as he threw only 68 pitches over seven innings with five strikeouts.
In a game where hitting was at a premium, the Pirates were unable to get to Hornbeck starter Cayden Fox through the first two innings as he faced just six batters.
But things turned in Hicks favor in the third inning.
Coffman connected on a leadoff double and later scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hunter Thacker, giving Hicks a 1-0 lead.
Haymon was able to hold serve and keep Hornbeck at bay, despite allowing a couple of runners on over the next few innings.
Michael Mason entered to pitch in the fourth and kept the Pirates' bats silent until the sixth inning.
Haymon reached on an error and pinch runner Kane Hagan reached third on a bunt from Conner Helton. Hagan scored on a bunt from Dalton Edwards and Helton made his way to third.
Helton scored on a pickoff play a little later and Coffman, who had walked, scored on a single from Hayden Doyle, allowing Hicks to take a 4-0 lead.
As his Pirates headed out to play the seventh, Hicks head coach Gary Williams reminded his team that they've been able to get three outs all season long and nothing should change now.
Fox singled with two outs to go in the frame, but Hicks recorded the final out to secure the championship, the 14th in school history, which ranks second in the Louisiana record book.
Pelt, Helton and Doyle joined Coffman with a hit each for Hicks. Doyle had an RBI, as did Edwards and Thacker.
Fox suffered the loss, giving up one run on one hit. Offensively, Fox led Hornbeck with two hits, while Waylon Woodell added a hit.
This article originally appeared on Leesville Daily Leader: Pirates blank Hornbeck to win Class C crown
