MAN -- Despite playing in a downpour most of the night, the Matewan at Man regional baseball game had to be called in the eighth inning Tuesday night due to rain, with the score tied at 4-4.

The game was scheduled to resume yesterday at 2 p.m.

Man was up to bat in the bottom of the eighth inning with the bases loaded and only one out.

The Tigers had a big fifth inning, scoring three runs to take a 3-1 lead.

Cody Centers reached on a walk and Josh Sammons bunted safely to move Centers to second and then on around to third.

Centers then tied the game when he scored on a Man throwing error. Roger Slone, who had already made several key defensive plays in the game, belted a single to centerfield to score Sammons to give Matewan its first lead at 2-1.

Cody Gooslin hit a fielder's choice and Slone was tagged out at third. With Jeffree Pruitt running for Gooslin, Colton Copley reached on a walk and Corey Cisco hit a fielder's choice down the third base line and the throw from third to the catcher was high to allow Pruitt to score and make it 3-1.

Man cut the Tigers' lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Travis Hurley was hit by a pitch from Slone and Duke Vance walked. Evan Riggins then pounded a hit to score Hurley to make it a 3-2 game.

The Hillbillies tied the game in the sixth inning when Jordan Simpson hit an RBI double to centerfield.

Matewan reclaimed its lead in the top of the seventh inning when Sammons was walked and Slone hit an RBI single to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead.

Man's David Johnson was walked and Derrick Earnest sacrifice bunted to move pinch runner Charles Crum to second. Simpson then hit a single past first base to move Crum to third.

By then, it was nearing 11 p.m. and the rain had nearly flooded the field, with the baselines obscured under lengthy puddles of mud.

When Sammons took the mound in relief of Slone, he fell warming up, slipping on the muddy mound. Man's players worked throughout the downpour trying to get the field in playable shape, but officials called the game.