MONTICELLO – Josh Stephens pitched seven strong innings and T-Tez Cole hit a clutch game-tying homerun in the bottom of the sixth to propel the Lawrence County Cougars to a 4-3 win over Northeast Lauderdale in game one of a best-of-three playoff series Friday.

In Saturday’s contest, Northeast Lauderdale defeated Lawrence County 1-0. The Cougars will return home to host Northeast Lauderdale Monday at 6 p.m. for the third game.

Through five innings Friday, Lawrence County’s Stephens and Northeast Lauderdale’s Devin Sisson were locked in a dandy pitchers’ duel. When the game passed the one-hour mark, it was already in the sixth inning.

Lawrence County scratched across a single run in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 1-0 lead, only to see the visiting Trojans erupt for three in the top of the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Kasey Durr led off with his third single of the night, setting up Cole’s two-run, game-tying homer.

Later in the sixth, Marcus Atterberry, who had singled, was forced home when Brennan Lang was hit by a pitch. That was all Stephens needed. He struck out the final two Northeast Lauderdale batters with the potential tying runner on second base. It all added up to a dramatic win for the homestanding Cougars.

“It was some game,” said second-year Lawrence County coach Josh Garrett. “A very tense game. You felt like any little bobble could cost either team the game. As it turned out, our toughest old warriors came through for us.”

The first five innings blew by at an incredible pace. Northeast Lauderdale got four hits off Stephens in the first three frames, but got only one runner as far as third base. Lawrence County got three hits in the first four innings, but two of those runners were erased by double plays.

The action got started in the bottom of the fifth. After Stephens reached on a throwing error to start the inning, courtesy runner Gage Daley moved to third on Marcus Kees’ booming double to left. Daley then scored on a Gabriel Lewis sacrifice fly, giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

In the top of the sixth, the Trojans finally broke through against Stephens. A leadoff walk, followed by three straight singles, added up to a three-run inning. Sisson helped his own cause with a two-run single, and Kyle Fuller added a sacrifice fly.

In the bottom of the sixth, Durr singled down the left field line-his third straight hit. After a strikeout, Cole came to the plate, carrying the tying run. When the count ran to 3-0, Garrett made the biggest call of the night, giving Cole the green light to swing away on 3-0. The result was a towering homerun to left-center, sending the home partisans into a frenzy.

“That guy has come through for this program – for this school – a lot of times,” said Garrett, when asked about giving Cole the 3-0 green light. “I just thought it was the right call to give him the opportunity to make something happen, and he did. Even if he had gotten out, I still would have been comfortable with having made that call.”

Marcus Atterberry followed Cole’s blast with a single to center. Later, with two outs and the bases loaded, LCHS first baseman Brennan Lang was hit by a Sisson curve ball, sending Atterberry across the plate with the go-ahead run.

In the top of the seventh, Stephens retired the leadoff hitter on a groundball. Trojan shortstop Lane Gordon then flared a soft hit to center, and advanced to second on a wild pitch. With the one-run lead – and the game – on the line, Stephens struck out the final two Northeast Lauderdale batters.

Stephens added to what was already one of the best pitching seasons in LCHS baseball history. He scattered eight hits, walked just one, and struck out six. Sisson, in defeat, was equally outstanding. He allowed seven hits and struck out five. Lane Gordon and Daniel Richards led the Trojans with two hits each.

With the win, Lawrence County improved to 24-1 on the campaign. Northeast Lauderdale, coached by Josh Snider, fell to 15-6.

“Don’t be misled by this No. 1 against No. 4 business,” said long-time LCHS assistant Craig Davis. “Northeast Lauderdale has a fine team. They were four runs from winning that division.”

In Saturday’s contest, Northeast Lauderdale defeats Lawrence Co. 1-0. The Cougars will return home to host Northeast Lauderdale Monday at 6 p.m.