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Monroe baseball slips past Madison as Payne, Estes square off in duel

Photo by Ashley Thornton

Two total hits between two teams.

 

When that happens someone’s brilliant pitching performance is going to go unrewarded and Friday night, Madison County’s Eli Estes’ one-hitter complete game gave way to R.J. Payne’s one-hit complete game effort in a 2-0 William Monroe victory.

 

“It was a great pitching duel tonight for both sides,” said Madison County coach David Londrey. “Tip your hat to both of them, to both sides.”

 

The Dragons (10-2) scored twice on a pair of sacrifice flies, one by Payne, another by Charlie Richards. Both players threw with little margin for error in an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel.

 

“Having some good stuff on the mound and going back-and-forth with Eli is just awesome,” Payne said. “We’ve been good buds our whole lives, to go against him as my county rival is just awesome.”

 

Payne struck out 11, allowing just five baserunners with three walks. Estes struck out eight, allowing five walks. Two of those were leadoff free passes, and while Estes made every effort to snuff those walks out, those two became runs. Payne knocked one in himself with a sacrifice fly in the first to score Braydon Collier. Richards plated the second in the sixth inning, bringing home Blake Shifflett with his own sacrifice fly.

 

Payne’s performance on the mound, despite being the Dragons’ most-experienced arm, actually came as a bit of a surprise as a tender pitching elbow led Monroe to take it slow with the lefthander to start the year. He’d allowed him only seven innings all year before that. He threw 110 pitches in the win and Monroe coach Mike Maynard continued to allow the senior, one of just three returning starters, back on the mound.

 

William Graves had the Mountaineers lone hit, coming in the seventh to break up the potential no-hitter by Payne.

 

It was another in a string of strong pitching performances as Monroe has re-tooled after graduating nine seniors off last year’s state finalist squad. This year, sophomores and freshmen are staffing the lineup, opening the next era in Monroe baseball. Sophomore pitchers like Brice Slaughter and Reilly Owen as well as freshman Lance Tate are among the host of young players contributing.

 

“We’re really young but we’re playing really well, pitching has really been our thing this year,” Maynard said. “We’re fast and scrappy, and hopefully we’re going to click at the right time again. William Monroe baseball believes they’re going to win regardless of their age because that’s what the guys before them have taught them.”

 

They’re certainly not coming in expecting to just have those wins happen — they’re putting in the work because they understand the process and what it takes. Their respect for that process and willingness to jump in right away has been a lift for the senior starters, Payne, Richards and Tyler Gentry.

 

“It means alot, to transform from last year’s team to this year’s team is awesome,” Payne said. “To do that (beat Madison) and see them work that hard is awesome.”

 

Meanwhile, Estes was matching Payne nearly pitch for pitch, working his way through the Monroe lineup mostly with ease. The Mountaineers couldn’t take advantage of their four baserunners though, falling to 5-2 in the Bull Run District with the loss.

 

“They took advantage of the walks, they scored on both them,” Londrey said. “I thought Eli threw a very good game, but you tip your to both sides.”

 

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