A late Lyon County comeback bid fell just 90 feet short as the Lyons bowed to Owensboro Catholic 8-7 Saturday afternoon in Eddyville.
That gave Lyon a split on the day. The Lyons dispatched Hopkinsville 9-0 earlier at Jim Boyd Field at Lee S. Jones Park.
In the opener, Austin Long threw a complete-game, five-hit shutout and the Lyons homered twice to beat Hoptown in a battle of the two top-rated teams in the 2nd Region.
Brody Williams got the Lyons started on the right foot with a two-run home run to center in the bottom of the first inning.
Lyon extended its lead to 5-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Travis Yancy drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the first run of the frame. Jackson Shoulders and Christian O’Daniel followed with RBI singles.
The Lyons then put the game away in the sixth. One run scored on an error, then Brady Darnall slammed a three-run homer to left field to extend the margin to 9-0.
Long struck out 11 and walked just one while scattering five hits for the Lyons.
Darnall was the only Lyon with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 and driving in the three runs.
Preston Chaudoin was 2-for-3 for Hopkinsville (14-6).
In the late game, Lyon trailed 5-1 and 8-3 before making a run at Owensboro Catholic in the final two innings.
The Lyons scored three times in the home half of the sixth to pull within 8-6. Eli Baker singled home two runs while Gunnar Bingham picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly.
With rain beginning to fall in the seventh, Jackson Shoulders homered to right with one out to make it an 8-7 ballgame.
Aidan Rush doubled to the fence in left to put the potential tying run on base.
A pop out in foul territory was the second out of the inning.
Rush then advanced to third on a wild pitch.
But a looper to third base was snared by Owensboro Catholic to end the game.
Rush was 3-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles and three RBIs for Lyon. Shoulders was 2-for-2 while Baker was 2-for-4 and drove in two.
Braden Mundy was 3-for-4 at the plate for Owensboro Catholic (23-3) with two doubles and four runs batted in.
Rush suffered the loss on the mound for the Lyons while Sam McFarland picked up the win for the Aces with relief help from Everett Munsey.
Owensboro Catholic, the top-rated team in the 3rd Region, outhit the Lyons 11-10.
Lyon, now 18-5, will next visit 5th District foe Livingston Central on Monday.