Corbett drives in 6 in win over Red Springs

April 26, 2011

Southeastern Conference


FAIRMONT - After winning Saturday's first-round game with a walk-off double, Lumberton's Jonathan Corbett made sure Red Springs' run as Robeson County Slugfest sleeper was an abbreviated one Monday afternoon.

Corbett drove in six runs including a towering three-run home run that snuffed out a Red Devils rally during the Pirates' 15-4 semifinal victory.

Corbett's fourth-inning drive off the roof of a truck in left came after Tim Ray cut a six-run deficit to two at 6-4 with a grand slam off Lumberton starter Zach McCartney.

"I felt like I had to answer the grand slam," Corbett said. "One pitch can change an entire game."

Graced with a six-run cushion, McCartney held Red Springs scoreless over the next three frames to improve 4-0 all-time in the tournament while pushing Lumberton into its fifth championship game since 2005. A win over Fairmont today will be the Pirates' tournament-leading fifth crown.

"Red Springs is a very aggressive team and Zach did a good job of consistently staying around the zone," Lumberton coach Paul Hodges said. "He hung one on the (grand slam) but pitched a solid all-around game for us. I thought we were able to advance some runners a little better than they did today. We threw some runners out and moved some runners up in key spots."

The Pirates pieced together three runs in the first following consecutive run-scoring doubles from Corbett and Chris Power. Corbett later stole home in the third, pushing Lumberton's lead to 6-0.

Lumberton's commanding lead wouldn't last long after Ray countered with the grand slam to the power alley in left center on a hanging breaking ball from McCartney with two outs in the fourth.

"We were surprised (Red Springs) hung in there," Corbett said. "We tried to make a statement, but they played us tough."

Steven Kirby - Saturday's starting pitcher - ended the contest an inning early in the sixth with a two-run homer to left, Lumberton's third long ball of the Slugfest.

"We just wanted to put the ball in play and play solid defense," Kirby said. "That's the key to baseball."

Staff writer Brad Crawford can be reached at (910) 272-6119 or bcrawford @heartlandpublications.com