Young Dexter shows growth in 11-5 W over New Madrid

NEW MADRID – Dexter High School baseball coach Steve Edwards is only in his second season with the Bearcat program, but he has coached at various levels for a long time, and he is knowledgeable enough to know potential on the diamond when he sees it.

The Bearcats have just one senior, but looked very experienced, as well as pretty good, in their recent 11-5 win at New Madrid County Central.

“These (young) kids have played a lot of baseball, even before they got (to our program),” Edwards said of his young roster. “Now they are getting accustomed to me, the coaching staff, and how we run things here.”

No Dexter player exhibited that potential more so in the win over the Eagles than freshman pitcher Justus Lovelady.

Lovelady worked four innings of relief on the mound and struck out seven New Madrid hitters while walking three, allowing six hits, and three earned runs.

“As a freshman,” Edwards said following the game, “he grew up a lot tonight. He’s been working some bullpens for us.”

Edwards said recently that his team has “10 or 11 guys who can throw,” and on Friday, he started sophomore Gibson Booker, before going to Lovelady and sophomore Houston Neely to close the game.

“They are throwing strikes,” Edwards said of his pitchers, “and they are not afraid of the moment.”

The Eagles (0-4) got on the board in the first inning, as sophomore Brandon Waters opened the first inning by reaching after being hit by a Booker pitch.

He advanced on a single by senior Brady Swims, and later a fielder’s choice, before scoring on a passed ball for a 1-0 lead.

Dexter (2-2) came back with a couple of runs in the third inning off of Swims, who threw five innings in the start, but the Eagles tied the game at two in the bottom of that inning.

“Each game we have gotten better,” first-year New Madrid County Central coach Jordan Kimball said. “The scores aren’t showing it yet.

“What we’ve been frustrated with so far in the first few games is effort. You shouldn’t have to teach effort.”

Dexter grabbed a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning, as Trey Pedigo led off with a single, and stole second base, while freshman Jaxon Miller got hit by a pitch and senior Ryan Young drew a walk.

Pedigo scored on an Eagle error for a 3-2 margin and courtesy runner Hunter Massey scored on a single from Lovelady.

The Bearcats added four runs in the sixth inning and three more in the seventh, while New Madrid put across one in the sixth and two in its final at-bat.

Lovelady was tremendous at the plate, as he totaled five hits in as many at-bats to go with two runs scored, and two RBI.

Nolan Alford added one hit, two runs, one RBI, and a walk in the win while Beau Carrier (one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk), Jackson Howard (one hit, two runs, one RBI, one walk), Booker (one run, one walk), Pedigo (three hits, one run, three RBI, one walk), Neely (one hit), Miller (one hit), and Young (one walk) also produced.

Carrier, Alford, and Howard each had doubles.

Booker worked a couple of innings and allowed just one hit, no earned runs, one walk, and struck out four.

Neely closed the game by giving up one hit, no earned runs, and no walks.

Swims had a pair of hits for the Eagles to go with his two runs, and an RBI while Waters (two hits, two runs), Slade Courtois (one hit), Ayden McCanless (one hit, one RBI), John Harris (two walks), Joseph Taylor (one hit, one run, one RBI), Jack Pipkin (one hit, one RBI), and Julian Courtois (one walk) also contributed.

Swims threw five innings and allowed four hits, three earned runs, four walks, and four strikeouts.

Eagle freshman Wyatt Taylor pitched one inning of relief and allowed five hits, four earned runs, and a walk while senior Gage Sweatt allowed four hits in one inning, three earned runs, one walk, and notched a strikeout.

Dexter will visit Class 2 No. 4-ranked Portageville (7-3) on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

New Madrid County Central will visit Charleston (1-3) on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.