By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Sacred Heart baseball team steamrolled through the opening round of this year’s TMP regional, rolling Republic County 15-0 in just four innings to advance to the semifinals.
The Knights wasted no time opening up the scoring, with the first seven members of its lineup all reaching base safely, scoring nine runs in the bottom of the first.
In the second, Sacred Heart picked up right where they left off, adding four more and batting around the order for a second time.
Republic County would quiet the bats in the third inning but in the bottom of the fourth, Leon Rowe delivered an RBI single that made it 15-0 and officially triggered the mercy rule.
All nine members of the Sacred Heart lineup reached base at least once, seven members recorded at least one hit and six drove in two or more runs.
Rowe was chief among that group, driving in four runs on a perfect 4-4 day at the plate.
Graham Armstrong matched Rowe’s pace, plating four runs of his own on a pair of big hits.
On the mound, Cayson Ivey took over for Maddox Wells in the second inning and tossed a masterpiece, recording all nine outs via the strikeout and allowing just one runner to reach base on an error.
With this win, the Knights (18-7) are through to the second round to face Ellis (16-8) at 4:00 on May 21st.
Republic County’s season draws to a close at 2-21.