Adams, others lift Portageville to 3rd straight Bootheel title

A couple of things can be counted on over the past few springs in Portageville. The Bulldogs will be good in baseball and Mason Adams will more than likely be a BIG reason for that success.

Both came to fruition on Tuesday, as the Class 2 No. 3-ranked Bulldogs got past Senath-Hornersville in dramatic fashion 5-4 in the semifinal round of the Bootheel Conference Tournament at Caruthersville, and then capped the title by blanking Campbell 5-0 in the championship game.

“We’ve had some situations this year,” veteran Bulldog coach Tyler Trover said earlier in the tournament, “where we played really good baseball, but we got beat because it just wasn’t our day.”

That hasn’t happened often, as Portageville improved to 24-6 and won for the seventh consecutive game, however, in the semifinal, the Lions made Portageville earn the win.

Senath-Hornersville (11-6) held leads of 1-0, 2-0, 3-1, and 4-3, before the bottom of the Portageville lineup, with a boost from Adams, lifted Trover’s team to the win.

Trailing 4-3 in the sixth inning, Portageville junior Huston Partin, who is the Bulldogs’ No. 8 hitter, led off the inning with a double into right field. That hit was followed by junior Jayquan Bogan hitting a two-bagger into left field.

The two Bulldogs combined for five hits on the day.

Senath-Hornersville senior pitcher Christian “Pookie” Garza got a Portageville ground out, but Adams then connected for his lone hit in the game and drove in both Partin and Bogan for the eventual game-winning run.

“Our expectation (this season),” Trover said, “is to show up every day and get the job done.”

Partin paced his team’s offense with a couple of hits to go with two RBI and a run scored while junior Xayvion Bogan (one hit), senior Beau-Hunter Warren (one hit), senior Conner Johnson (one run), junior Rylan Partin (one hit, one run, one RBI, two walks), junior Owen Roberts (one run), and Jayquan Bogan (three hits, one run) were also productive.

Both Partins and Jayquan Bogan tallied doubles.

Huston Partin was also effective on the mound.

He worked three innings and allowed just one hit and one earned run.

Adams closed the game by throwing 3 1/3 innings and giving up three hits, no earned runs or walks, and striking out three.

Lion junior Chayse Laden paced the Lions with three of his team’s six hits. He also had a run scored and a walk while junior Spencer Goff (one run), senior Jesus Mendoza (one hit, one RBI, two walks), senior Madox Belcher (two walks), Garza (one hit, one RBI), freshman Christian Small (one hit), senior Amador Luna (one run, one walk), and freshman Glacian Johnson (one run, one walk) were also productive.

Garza threw all six innings and walked just two batters while striking out three. He allowed nine hits and four earned runs.

In the championship game, Warren and Adams combined to shut down the Camels (10-8).

Warren threw 5 1/3 innings and gave up just two hits and no runs while striking out 11 batters, and Adams pitched the final 1 2/3 innings and didn’t allow a hit, run, or walk while striking out four.

Offensively, Adams had three hits, including a double, to lead his team while scoring twice and stealing a base.

Campbell’s two hits came from senior Jared Jennings and sophomore Jackson Melvin while Melvin and junior Tanner Smart each stole a base.

On the mound, Melvin struck out seven Bulldogs over six innings and allowed just two earned runs.

Senath-Hornersville will visit East Prairie (13-9) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Portageville will host Holcomb (11-9) today at 4:30 p.m.