Paxton claims second straight 1-A title

By RANDY DICKSON

Florida Freedom Newspapers

NICEVILLE - It was Dan Geoghagan's turn to shine Thursday night.

Paxton's sophomore pitcher threw a two-hit shutout and had three hits of his own as the Bobcats repeated as District 1-A champions with a 10-0 win over Laurel Hill at Okaloosa-Walton College. The game was called in the sixth on the mercy rule.

Paxton (9-9) will host the District 2 runner up, either Graceville or Malone, on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the regional quarterfinals.

The Hoboes (9-15), who are making their first appearance in the playoffs since 2001, will travel to the District 2 winner on Tuesday.

"Dan Geoghagan was huge at the plate as well as on the mound," Paxton coach Jeff Bradley said. "And Colby Forehand's bases-loaded triple in the first kind of relaxes you and you know you are going to be OK."

Laurel Hill coach Ronnie Smith rolled the dice and threw senior pitcher Jon Lyons on one day's rest after he tossed a two-hitter against Central on Tuesday to get the Hoboes to the championship game.

From the outset, the Bobcats were zeroed in on Lyons as Geoghagan led off with a single to spark a four-run opening frame.

With a run in and the bases full, Forehand found the power alley in right field to empty the bases and put the Bobcats up 4-0.

Paxton steadily built the lead with single runs in the second and third innings, two more in the fourth and two in the sixth to end the game.

The only inning Paxton failed to score was when reliever Ethan Jackson retired the side in order in the fifth.

Fittingly, it was Forehand who ended the game, scoring Jesse Crawford from third on a fielder's choice for his fourth RBI of the night.

The Bobcats had just eight hits, but they made them all count. Paxton also made the Hoboes pay for six errors that kept innings alive and moved up baserunners.

Geoghagan and Ryan Lewellen, who had two hits, were the only Bobcats with more than one hit. Each scored two runs. Zach Forehand, who reached on an error and had an RBI single, also scored twice.

Jeremy Henley and Will Sherwood had the only Laurel Hill hits.

"Geoghagan was on and did a good job of mixing up his pitches," Smith said. "When we did hit, we hit right at them. They played better baseball than we did."

Laurel Hill    000 000 - 0 2 6

Paxton         411 202 - 10 8 0

W-Dan Geoghagan. L-Jon Lyons