Cowart strikes out 13 as Clarkton rolls past Marmaduke 13-2

Sophomore pitcher Braxton Cowart leads Clarkton to victory with dominant performance on the mound.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 5:53pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting in shades of navy, green, and orange, depicting the motion and action of a high school baseball game through an abstract, cubist lens.A cubist interpretation of the Clarkton Reindeer's decisive victory over the Marmaduke Greyhounds, capturing the dynamic energy and competitive spirit of the high school baseball matchup.Marmaduke Today

Sophomore pitcher Braxton Cowart struck out 13 batters and allowed just one hit as the Clarkton Reindeer defeated the Marmaduke Greyhounds 13-2. Senior pitcher Eli Pavy also contributed on the mound and at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

Why it matters

This win helps boost the Clarkton Reindeer's confidence as they look to build momentum in the early part of the season. The team is young but has shown they can compete against larger schools, raising hopes for a successful campaign.

The details

Cowart was dominant on the mound, retiring the first three batters he faced in the first inning and recording 13 strikeouts overall. He allowed just one hit and two walks. Pavy closed out the game, recording one strikeout. Offensively, Clarkton outhit Marmaduke 12-1 and did not have any batters strike out.

  • Cowart struck out the first three batters he faced in the first inning.
  • Marmaduke finally got a hit in the second inning before Cowart struck out the next three batters.
  • Cowart recorded two strikeouts in the third inning and two more in the fourth.
  • Cowart let two walks go by in the fifth inning but struck out two more batters.
  • Cowart recorded his final strikeout of the day in the sixth inning before reaching his pitch-count limit.

The players

Braxton Cowart

A sophomore pitcher for the Clarkton Reindeer who struck out 13 batters and allowed just one hit in the win over Marmaduke.

Eli Pavy

A senior pitcher for the Clarkton Reindeer who closed out the game, allowing zero hits and recording one strikeout. He also led the team at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored.

Barry Layne

The head coach of the Clarkton Reindeer, who praised Cowart's dominant pitching performance and is hopeful the team can build on this win as they head into more district matchups.

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What they’re saying

“I felt really good today, I couldn't have done that without my team making plays behind me and pushing me that entire game, though.”

— Braxton Cowart, Pitcher

“Braxton has been pitching well all spring. I think he is our guy right now. We have a couple of guys who can pitch well and can be that guy for us in the future, so we'll see how the season pans out, but in the last few games Braxton has pitched phenomenally for us. He's been lights out.”

— Barry Layne, Head Coach

“Just being able to come in, hit the zone and do well felt really good. I have to thank my teammates for backing me up there.”

— Eli Pavy, Pitcher

“I just wanted to be aggressive. 'See ball, hit ball,' I wanted to make it as simple as possible. I was coming into this game 0-7 at the plate since coming back, so I felt like I was due for a good game.”

— Eli Pavy, Pitcher

“We just have to stay locked in. If our pitchers can keep throwing strikes and we stay aggressive at the plate, we'll be okay. I hope we can keep this rolling and continue this streak.”

— Barry Layne, Head Coach

What’s next

The Reindeer will stay on the road as they travel to face the Delta C-7 Chargers on Monday, April 6. They will come back home to host the Risco Tigers on Tuesday, April 7.

The takeaway

This dominant pitching performance by Braxton Cowart and the all-around strong play from the Clarkton Reindeer shows the team's potential to compete at a high level this season. If they can maintain this level of play, they could be a team to watch in the coming weeks and months.