Leake Academy baseball squad prepping for playoffs

The Leake Academy baseball team ended the regular season on a sour note last week, losing the last two games to East Rankin.

The Rebels beat East Rankin 11-5 on Tuesday but then lost a doubleheader to the Patriots on Friday, losing 5-2 and 4-0. 

With the two losses, the Rebels finish fourth in District 2-5A.

Leake falls to 12-13-1 on the season and will take on powerhouse Magnolia Heights in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. Magnolia Heights is 25-4-1 on the season and ranked No. 7 in the state. Game 1 of the series is set for Tuesday in Madden while the Rebels will travel to Magnolia Heights on Thursday for a possible doubleheader. 

Leake Academy 11, 

East Rankin 5

The Rebels opened up an early lead and took a six-run win over the Patriots on Tuesday. 

Leake scored three in the first and four int he second and led 7-2 after two innings. The Rebels added single runs in the fifth and seventh with two in the sixth. 

Leake outhit East Rankin 13-2 in the contest. Jack Harkins had a big game, going 3-for-4 with a double, three runs scored and three RBIs. Charlie Brantley was 3-for-3 with three RBIs while Tanner Walsworth was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs. Tyler Winstead singled, scored twice and had two RBIs while Matthan Weaver singled and scored twice. Rece Atkinson also doubled and scored a run.

Atkinson started on the mound and pitched six innings, giving up three runs on one hit and seven walks. Matthew Nowell pitched the seventh and gave up two runs on one hit and two walks. 

East Rankin 5, Leake 2

The Patriots pulled away late and took a three run win over the Rebels in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday. 

Leake scored one in the first while East Rankin scored two in the second. Leake added one in the third to tie the game at 2-2. East Rankin pulled away with three runs in the sixth to take the win.

East Rankin outhit Leake 8-6 in the contest. Tyler Winstead was 2-for-3 with a double while Jack Harkins was 2-for-3 as well. Rhett Stovall and Tanner Walsworth also had singles for Leake.

Jack Harkins started on the mound and pitched five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits while striking out six. Caden Stovall pitched the last two innings in relief, giving up one hit while striking out three.

East Rankin 4, Leake 0

The Rebels committed four errors and gave up four unearned runs in a shutout loss to the Raiders in the second game of a doubleheader on Friday. 

East Rankin scored single runs in the second and fourth while scoring two in the third. 

Leake outhit East Rankin 4-3. Rhett Stovall, Tyler Winstead, Camden Marble and Matthan Weaver each singled. 

Stovall started on the mound and pitched all six innings, giving up four unearned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out four.