Nine-run inning sparks Wildcats to road win over Spring Hill

By Andy Brown
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Updated: April 10, 2025

**Louisburg senior Rylan Carty homered and doubled in the Wildcats’ 9-run fifth inning Tuesday at Spring Hill.**

SPRING HILL — The Louisburg baseball team got a chance to avenge its lone loss of the season Tuesday against Spring Hill and the Wildcats took full advantage.

Louisburg scored nine runs in the fifth inning, and got a strong start from Meade Rutherford, as the Wildcats cruised to a 9-2 victory over the Broncos at Spring Hill High School.

“The guys played really well overall,” Louisburg coach Kade Larson said. “They were ready to play Spring Hill again after we lost to them the first time. We knew we didn’t play our best game the first time around, and showed up ready to roll his time.”

Rutherford set the tone early for the Wildcats as he shut down a talented Spring Hill lineup. The Louisburg senior didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning.

Overall, Rutherford went six innings allowed two hits, no runs and had five strikeouts.

“Meade competed his butt off on the mound,” Larson said. “He was all around the strike zone and did a great job pitching to contact to let his defense work.”

Rutherford’s performance gave the Wildcat bats a chance to heat up and they did so with big fifth inning. In a scoreless game in the top of the fifth, Louisburg racked up nine runs and got a lot of those with two outs.

Senior Rylan Carty provided the Wildcats with a nice start as he opened the inning with a 2-run home run and he ended the scoring with an RBI double in the same inning.

The Wildcats (7-1) got a lot of important hits in-between as well.

Louisburg worked four consecutive walks after Carty’s home run. Max Amren and Luke Schultz both scored on wild pitches.

Senior Carter Willey broke the game open with a bases loaded double that plated all three runners. Junior Christian Owens then reached on an error that allowed Willey to score.

“That fifth inning was huge for us,” Larson said. “We had two outs and just kept finding a way to keep the line moving. Rylan did a great job getting good pitches to hit and he hit them well when we needed it.”