Straughn’s Nick Allen hit a two-run homer in the third inning, and the Tigers added six runs in the fourth inning Thursday night to pull away and beat Headland 8-0 at SHS.

The second-ranked Tigers allowed only one hit against a strong hitting Rams team in the first five innings, where winning pitcher Zack Stinson struck out six and walked one.

“We played good defense,” SHS head baseball coach John Fussell said. “We were solid in the field. Zack Stinson gave us five good innings.”

With this win, Straughn improves to 20-4 overall, and 3-0 in Class 4A, Area 3. The Tigers will travel to face Headland tonight in the second area game of the series. The first pitch is slated to be at 5 p.m.

Stinson and Headland pitcher Thomas Hudspeth battled back and forth through the first three innings of play.

Three of Stinson’s six strikeouts came at a clutch time in the top of the second inning. Headland’s Daniel Jones led off with a double, and Trevor Howard, Hunter Rainey and Hudspeth went down swinging back-to-back.

Straughn got in a sticky situation in the third inning after Stinson allowed his only walk to Headland’s Jace Johnson with no outs.

Fortunately, junior catcher Zack Turvin picked Johnson off at first on a 1-2 count.

“They had us in a bind, and he got off too far,” Fussell said about the pick off.

From then on, Straughn put the game in cruise control.

Luke Fussell led Straughn off with a single in the third inning, and came in on the two-run homer by Allen with two outs in the inning.

“That was a great job of not quitting with two outs,” Fussell said. “All year long, even with two outs, we continue to try to scratch something across.”

Fussell said the two-run homer was big considering the 0-for-7 performance by Allen against Carroll-Ozark Monday night. The Tigers swept with a 9-1 and 14-4 win.

“I told the whole team when we got back that night. I said, ‘he’s (Allen’s) always come up big for us when it mattered the most,” Fussell said. “‘I’m not worried about him going 0-for-7 because everybody else hit the ball that night.’ He hits the ball.”

In the fourth inning, Straughn’s Zack Lunsford reached on an error to get things started for the Tigers.

Turvin and Chase Short followed with bunt singles.

Straughn senior Josh Dewrell then hit a two-run single to score Lunsford and Turvin to help give his team the 4-0 lead.

“Dewrell came up big when he had two strikes on him,” Fussell said. “They’re not quitting.”

Allen, finished 3-for-4, then hit a two-run triple to right field to score Short and Dewrell, who had to hurry and made it home safely on a throw.

Straughn’s Cody Hughes, who led the Tigers behind the plate going 4-for-4, hit an RBI single to score Allen and later scored on an RBI double from Drew Jones. Jones was 1-for-4 Thursday.

Lunsford came in for Stinson and got the save for Straughn. He gave up no hits and struck out two.

“I was real proud of Zack Lunsford because he actually came in against Carroll, and threw real well and gave us some confidence that he can throw strikes,” Fussell said.

Dewrell was 1-for-4 with two RBIs; Fussell was 1-for-4 with one run; Lunsford was 1-for-3 with one run; Turvin was 2-for-3 with one run; and Short was 1-for-3 with one run.

Jones was 1-for-3 for Headland.Straughn’s Nick Allen hit a two-run homer in the third inning, and the Tigers added six runs in the fourth inning Thursday night to pull away and beat Headland 8-0 at SHS.

The second-ranked Tigers allowed only one hit against a strong hitting Rams team in the first five innings, where winning pitcher Zack Stinson struck out six and walked one.

“We played good defense,” SHS head baseball coach John Fussell said. “We were solid in the field. Zack Stinson gave us five good innings.”

With this win, Straughn improves to 20-4 overall, and 3-0 in Class 4A, Area 3. The Tigers will travel to face Headland tonight in the second area game of the series. The first pitch is slated to be at 5 p.m.

Stinson and Headland pitcher Thomas Hudspeth battled back and forth through the first three innings of play.

Three of Stinson’s six strikeouts came at a clutch time in the top of the second inning. Headland’s Daniel Jones led off with a double, and Trevor Howard, Hunter Rainey and Hudspeth went down swinging back-to-back.

Straughn got in a sticky situation in the third inning after Stinson allowed his only walk to Headland’s Jace Johnson with no outs.

Fortunately, junior catcher Zack Turvin picked Johnson off at first on a 1-2 count.

“They had us in a bind, and he got off too far,” Fussell said about the pick off.

From then on, Straughn put the game in cruise control.

Luke Fussell led Straughn off with a single in the third inning, and came in on the two-run homer by Allen with two outs in the inning.

“That was a great job of not quitting with two outs,” Fussell said. “All year long, even with two outs, we continue to try to scratch something across.”

Fussell said the two-run homer was big considering the 0-for-7 performance by Allen against Carroll-Ozark Monday night. The Tigers swept with a 9-1 and 14-4 win.

“I told the whole team when we got back that night. I said, ‘he’s (Allen’s) always come up big for us when it mattered the most,” Fussell said. “‘I’m not worried about him going 0-for-7 because everybody else hit the ball that night.’ He hits the ball.”

In the fourth inning, Straughn’s Zack Lunsford reached on an error to get things started for the Tigers.

Turvin and Chase Short followed with bunt singles.

Straughn senior Josh Dewrell then hit a two-run single to score Lunsford and Turvin to help give his team the 4-0 lead.

“Dewrell came up big when he had two strikes on him,” Fussell said. “They’re not quitting.”

Allen, finished 3-for-4, then hit a two-run triple to right field to score Short and Dewrell, who had to hurry and made it home safely on a throw.

Straughn’s Cody Hughes, who led the Tigers behind the plate going 4-for-4, hit an RBI single to score Allen and later scored on an RBI double from Drew Jones. Jones was 1-for-4 Thursday.

Lunsford came in for Stinson and got the save for Straughn. He gave up no hits and struck out two.

“I was real proud of Zack Lunsford because he actually came in against Carroll, and threw real well and gave us some confidence that he can throw strikes,” Fussell said.

Dewrell was 1-for-4 with two RBIs; Fussell was 1-for-4 with one run; Lunsford was 1-for-3 with one run; Turvin was 2-for-3 with one run; and Short was 1-for-3 with one run.

Jones was 1-for-3 for Headland.