The four-year Mid-South Conference Tournament title run by FMS ended Monday at Liberty Middle School as Cascade Middle School blasted their way to a 12-2 six-inning, run-rule win over the Rockets in the championship game.

"We just couldn't get the job done today, our boys came ready to play, but I think they ran out of energy," said FMS head coach Bart Joyce. "We dug ourselves a hole by losing the first game, but got ourselves back in position by winning three in row. We had a good run, we finished first in the season and runner-up in the tournament."

Tough foe

The Champions, who went undefeated in the tournament, banged out 16 hits in the contest, including five extra base knocks.

"They stroked it today," said Joyce. "They beat us hitting the baseball. We didn't do anything wrong, we didn't beat ourselves, they just hit the baseball and that is the way baseball is sometimes."

Hayden Edmondson led the way for Cascade on the mound and at the dish, picking up the complete game win, while going 3-4 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs, and two runs scored.

Edmondson gave up six hits on the hill, while striking out five, walking one, and hitting two Forrest hitters.

Cascade standouts

Seth Gardner had three hits in four trips to the plate, scored three runs, and drove home three more.

Hunter Calvert also connected for three base knocks, scored twice, and put up one RBI, while Cody Pressley contributed three RBIs on a 2-4 performance at the plate and scored two runs.

Cody Martin had two hits, scored once and drove home one for Cascade, Kevin Conn went 2-4 with two runs scored, and Hayden Sliger rounded out the Champions offensive attack with one hit, one run scored, and two ribbies.

Edmondson, Sliger, and Gardner were all named to the All-Conference Team.

First scores

Forrest scored first, plating two runs in the top of the first inning as Jacob Jones led off the contest with a base hit to left field and stole second.

Jaylen Smith followed with a base hit to right field, putting Rocket runners on the corners.

Jones trotted home on a passed ball and Smith scampered to third base before Edmondson struck out the next two Forrest batters.

Marshall McKee kept the inning alive with an RBI base hit to right field that scored Smith to make it 2-0 before a ground ball to Conn at third ended the frame.

Forrest starting pitcher Jordan Jent looked strong at the start, holding Cascade scoreless over the first two innings.

Bottom drops out

The Champions broke through with four runs in the bottom of the third, bashing four doubles in the inning, including the eventual game-winning, two-run, two-bagger by Pressley.

Cascade added a single run in the fourth as Edmondson continued to hold off any Rocket comeback attempt.

In the top of the fifth inning, FMS had a chance to cut into the lead as they had the bases loaded and two outs, but an attempt to score on a passed ball was thwarted and the inning ended with no runs scored for the Rockets.

Final chance

Cascade put up two more runs in the bottom of the inning, and after FMS failed to score in the sixth, the Champions put the game away with a five-run sixth inning to complete the run-rule win and tote the tournament hardware to Wartrace.

McKee had two hits and the lone RBI for FMS, while Jones had one hit, walked once, was hit by a pitch on one occasion, scored a run, and stole three bases.

Smith, Lane Laporte, and Nathan Trout all had one hit for the Rockets.

Jonathan Lykins, Jones, and Jent represented FMS on the All-Conference Team.

"I couldn't have asked for a better group of kids to coach," said Joyce. "I believe they have grown up a lot and they all did a great job."