Lexington Edges South Aiken 3-2; Brian Hucks Notches 300th Win

Lexington, S.C. – Cameron Matthews and Zach Paquette collected two hits each and Lexington head coach Brian Hucks claimed his 300th career victory as top-ranked Lexington hung on for a 3-2 win over 8th-ranked South Aiken in Region 5-AAAA high school baseball action at Wildcats Field on Tuesday.

Lexington, which improved to 15-3 overall and 7-0 in league play, plays host to North Augusta at 7 p.m. Thursday in region play. The Thoroughbreds fell to 12-8 and 5-3.

Hucks improved his 14-year coaching record to 300-112 including 42-7 at Lexington in his second season. Hucks posted a 258-105 record in 12 seasons at Brookland-Cayce including AAA state titles in 2000 and 2008.

Lexington grabbed a 1-0 first inning lead. Ryan Brown and Nick Ciuffo extended their hitting streaks to 17 games with singles and Brown eventually scored on Paquette's groundout to second.

Xavier Peralta's two-out bloop single to right in the top of the second inning scored Josh Kiser and tied the game at 1-all.

Lexington's Cole McMillan led off the fourth inning with a double to left center, moved to third on David Barboza's sacrifice, and scored when Matthews bounced a single into center field for a 2-1 Wildcats' lead. After Lexington loaded the bases on singles by Brandon Camp and Cody Smith, Matthews scored on a wild pitch for a 3-1 lead.

The Thoroughbreds scored a run in the top of the seventh inning but Elliot Lance struck out Joey Smithers with the bases loaded to end the game.

Josh Reagan (6-0) picked up the win surrendering a run on three hits with three strikeouts over five innings. Jamie Morlan suffered the loss allowing three runs on nine hits over the first four innings with a strikeout. Lance pitched the final two frames for his fourth save of the season.

Lexington 3, South Aiken 2

SAKN -- 010 000 1 -- 2 -  7 - 0
LEXN -- 100 200 x -- 3 - 11 - 3

WP - Josh Reagan (6-0). LP - Jamie Morlan. Save - Elliot Lance (4).
Hitters: Lexington, Cameron Matthews 2-3, Zach Paquette 2-3
Records: Lexington 15-3, 7-0 Region 5-AAAA; South Aiken 12-8, 5-3.
Lexington plays host to North Augusta at 7:00 on Thursday in Region 5-AAAA play.