Ciuffo, McMillan Pace Lexington Past Aiken 9-2

Nick Ciuffo blasted a grand slam and pitcher Cole McMillan struck out 10 helping top-ranked Lexington to a 9-2 win over Aiken in Region 5-AAAA high school baseball action at Wildcats Field Tuesday night.

Lexington, which plays host to region-foe Dutch Fork at 7 p.m. Friday, improved to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in league play. The Hornets fell to 3-4 and 1-2.

Zach Paquette and McMillan had run-scoring singles in the bottom of the first that staked Lexington to a 2-0 lead.

After Jimmy Carver tied the game with a two-out, two-run double in the top of the second, Ryan Brown's sacrifice fly to center scored Brandon Camp to give Lexington a 3-2 lead after two innings.

Nursing a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Ciuffo blasted relief pitcher Austin Strickland's first pitch for a grand slam to right and an 8-2 Wildcats' lead.

McMillan (1-1) earned the win allowing two runs on just two hits with 10 strikeouts in five innings of work. Blake Cantrell (0-1) suffered the loss allowing five runs in two innings of work.

McMillan, Camp and Dalton Addy paced Lexington's 10-hit attack with two hits each.

Lexington 9, Aiken 2

AKN --  020 000 0 -- 2 -  4 - 1
LEX --  210 510 x -- 9 - 10 - 0
WP - Cole McMillan (1-1). LP – Blake Cantrell (0-1).
Hitters:
Lexington: Dalton Addy 2-2, Brandon Camp 2-3, Cole McMillan 2-3, Nick Ciuffo HR