Munford edges Covington to claim district title

By Steve Holt

Behind 7 strong innings on the mound by Munford’s Houston Yount, the Munford Cougars (17-14) dropped the Covington Chargers (16-18) by a score of 5-2 to claim the 2025 District 15-3A tournament championship on 5/6.

Covington took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 2nd. Chad Delashmit (1/2, r, rbi) singled and advanced to 2nd when Griffin Clark (1/2) reached on an error. He would score when Fletcher Hodges reached on an error.

The Cougars tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Jase Greenland (3/3, r) singled was sacrificed to 2nd and scored on a single by Drew Greenland (1/3, rbi).

With 1 out in the 4th, the Cougars a 2-1 lead. Hudson Wright singled. A Jase Greenland single sent him to 3rd. A sac fly by Braden Hawkins scored Wright.

The 5th inning was pivotal. With 1 out, Covington loaded the bases on 3 straight walks. Delashmit drew a walk to force in a run. The inning ended with Christopher Smith tagged out on an attempted steal of home.

Munford put the game away in the bottom of the inning. Yount (1/4, r) singled followed by a Brodie Fortner single. Curly Lowry (1/2, 2 rbi) drilled a double to right center scoring 2 runs. Hudson Wright singled Lowry around for the final run.

Yount went the distance allowing 2 runs on 3 hits with 3 strikeouts while pitching around 8 walks.

Griffin Clark took the loss for CHS pitching 4.1 innings giving up 8 hits and 5 runs with 1 strikeout and a walk. Anderson allowed 2 hits in 1.2 innings of relief.

The Cougars will host the Regional tournament beginning on Friday.

In other action: 

The opening game of the District 15-3A championship round was a pitchers duel from the get go.

Munford’s Stephen Kemp went the distance allowing 1 run on 7 hits with 7 strikeouts and 2 walks. He stranded 9 runners to claim a 2-1 win.

Covington’s Walker Davis was equally effective going 7.0 innings giving up just 3 hits and 2 runs with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks. 

It all came apart for Covington (16-17) in the top of the 6th. Houston Yount walked to lead off the inning. Brodie Fortner attempted a sac bunt. He was safe as the throw to 1st sailed up the right field line. Yount came around to score the 1st run of the game. Fortner went to 2nd on the error and scored when Hudson Wright singled to left for a 2-0 lead.

Munford (16-14) gave the Chargers an opening in the bottom of the 7th. With 1 out, Drake Anderson doubled to left. A fly ball to center moved him to 3rd from where he scored when Christopher Smith reached on a missed 3rd strike. Kemp slammed the door with a 3 pitch strikeout.

Top seeded Brighton and #3 seed Covington engaged in an epic 11 inning battle on Saturday 5/3 in the 15-3A semi-final won by CHS 3-2

The Chargers jumped on top 1-0 in the 1st inning. Christopher Smith ( 2/3, r) singled, stole 2nd and scored on a Brayden Turner (1/3, r, rbi) singled.

CHS errors helped the Cardinals score their only runs in the 3rd. Drew Lazure singled, was sacrificed to 2nd and moved to 3rd when Kaiden Ingram reached on an error and scored to tie the game on a Garrett Glass single. The Cardinals took the lead at 2-1 when Caiden Gaines reached on an error scoring Ingram.

Covington tied the score at 2 in the 4th. Griffen Clark walked. Pinch runner Mac Wilson stole 2nd, was sacrificed to 3rd by Fletcher Hodges ( 1/3, rbi) and scored on Shaw Eubanks (1/4, rbi) singled.

Zeroes filled the scoreboard until the top of the 11th. Turner walked. After Chad Delashmit struck out and Clark grounded out, Hodges hit a soft fly ball that dropped behind 1st base between 3 players allowing Turner, who was running on contact, to come all the way home from 1st with what proved to be the winning run.

Aaron Anglin had his best outing by far this season. He was on the mound for 9.0 innings allowing 2 runs (1earned) with 4 walks and 9 strikeouts. Walker Davis earned the win tossing the 10th and 11th innings giving a hit and a walk. 

Brenden Killinger started for Brighton. He went 6.1 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts. Brady Ray was on the mound for 1.2 innings walking 1 and giving 2 hits. Caiden Gaines took the loss in the 11th giving up 2 hits and a run with a walk and 2 strikeouts. 

The #2 seeded Munford Cougars ( 15-15) and the #3 seed Covington Chargers (15-16) hooked up on 4/30 in an epic 15-3A quarterfinal battle won by the Chargers 3-2.

Munford plated 2 runs in the 1st inning without a hit. Houston Yount walked and went to 2nd on a wild pitch, moved to 3rd on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch. Noah Lowry walked, went to 3rd when Jase Greenland reached on an error and scored on a passed ball for a 2-0 lead.

Covington starter Griffin Clark threw 25 pitches in the 1st inning and gave up 2 runs. From that point, he scattered 3 singles and 1 walk shutting out the Cougars and posting a 7.0 inning, 4 hit, 2 run, 3 walk win on 81 total pitches.

The Chargers got on the board with a run in the 4th. Christopher Smith (3/4, r, rbi) singled. Chad Delashmit (1/3, rbi) singled. An error in the outfield allowed Smith to score from 1st for  2-1 Cougar lead.

The Cougars had stranded the bases loaded in the 2nd. Covington returned the favor in the 6th setting up a decisive 7th.

Brodie Fortner ( 5.0 innings, 4 hits, 1 r, 7 strikeouts, walk) gave way to Stephen Kemp (2.0 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 strikeouts, 3 walks) in the 6th. 

After stranding the bases loaded in the 6th, things unraveled for Kemp in the 7th pinning him with the loss.

Peeler Vandergrift reached on an error. He was erased in a force out off the bat of Drake Anderson. Walker Davis walked and Smith (3/4, run, rbi) singled in Anderson to tie the game. Brayden Turner followed with a single and what proved to be the winning run.

Clark got a ground ball out to open the Cougar 7th. After Adyn Childress singled, Delashmit snared a ground ball at the 1st base bag, stepped on and completed a 3-6 double play ending the game.