Murray Hurls One-Hitter Against Sandies

By Will Johnson 
Messenger Reporter

GRAPELAND – The Grapeland Sandies were looking to move into a first place tie with the Lovelady Lions when the two teams took the field on Friday, March 31 in Grapeland. The Lions came into with a District 21-2A record of 5-0 while the Sandies were a game behind at 4-1.

Unfortunately for the Sandies, what looked to be a showdown for the district’s top spot quickly turned into a blowout. The Lions scored three runs in the top of the first and then turned the game over to pitcher Hunter Murray who handcuffed Grapeland batters over six innings.

Murray pitched a gem as he held the Sandies to one hit, walked one and struck out 12 as the Lions defeated the Sandies by a final score of 10-0.

The Lions jumped on Grapeland pitcher Josh “Bear” Ackley in the first inning with a single, a double and a triple to plate three runs before the Sandies could record the game’s first out. Chad Fulgham led off with a single and promptly stole second. Fulgham came around to score on Blake Johnson’s double and Johnson came around to score on Murray’s triple as Murray scored on an error during the play.

Ackley retired Lee Holsey on a 5-4 force for the inning’s first out and then struck out Brett Huester for out number two. Alex McKnight walked, but Sandie catcher Parker Wilson gunned him down to retire the side when McKnight tried to steal second.

When Murray took the mound, it looked as if the Sandies might jump right back into the game. Riley Chipman made solid contact on 1-0 pitch but hit it right at Logan Lowery in left field. After that, Murray was lights out as he recorded back-to-back Ks on Wilson and Ackley to end the inning with the Lions ahead 3-0.

Lovelady added another run in the second to stretch their lead to 4-0. After Jay Thomas Robinson fanned for the first out, Taylor Womack lined a single up the middle. He stole second and crossed the dish on Lowery’s double to left. Ackley coaxed a groundout from Fulgham and then caught Johnson looking at a called third strike to bring the top of the second to a close.

In the bottom of the inning, Murray continued to dominate the Grapeland hitters as he struck out the side to move the game into the third.

Neither team could muster any offense in the third as both pitchers worked a 1-2-3 inning.

As the game continued, the Grapeland defense fell apart in the top of the fourth inning. McKnight opened the frame with a single and was lifted for courtesy runner Treyton Wilson. After Robinson lined out to Chipman at short, a pick-off attempt at first base went awry and allowed Wilson to move up.

Womack followed with a drive that was misplayed in left field allowing Wilson to take third and Womack reach second. Lowery followed with his second double of the game to plate Wilson and Womack and make the score 6-0.

Fulgham was up next and worked a 2-2 count out of Ackley. On Ackley’s next pitch, however, Fulgham turned on the ball and deposited it over the left field fence for a 2-run HR to make the score 8-0 in favor of Lovelady.

After a 6-4-3 DP brought the Lions’ half of the fourth inning to a close, Murray worked a 1-2-3 inning and recorded his ninth strikeout of the game.

Grapeland changed pitchers as the game moved into the fifth as Dustin Ackley replaced his brother on the mound. The older Ackley managed to avoid any further damage in the top half of the frame, despite the Sandies fifth error of the game.

In the bottom of the inning, Grapeland finally broke into the hit column when Dustin Ackley lined Murray’s first pitch of the fifth into deep right centerfield for a double. While Ackley eventually made it to third, it was all for naught as Murray sandwiched a 5-3 force between two more strikeouts to end the inning.

As the top of the sixth inning got underway, Ackley recorded two quick outs on back-to-back 6-3 grounders. Unfortunately, another Grapeland error, followed by a hit batsman led to two more runs as Murray slapped a double into the gap to make the score 10-0.

After Ackley coaxed a line out from Holsey to end the inning, the Sandies had one last chance. A walk to Rick Frauenberger seemed to bode well for Grapeland until he was picked off at first by Murray. Hunter Luce followed with a K and Chipman grounded into a 5-3 force to end the game with Lovelady ahead by a final score of 10-0.

Murray was credited with the win after going six innings, striking out 12, only allowing one hit and one walk. Josh Ackley was saddled with the loss.

At the plate, Chad Fulgham was 2-4 with three runs and two RBI while Hunter Murray was 2-3 with 3 RBI.

Grapeland’s lone hit came from Dustin Ackley who was 1-2 with a double.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].