A tightly-contested game snowballed out of control Wednesday as East Surry defeated Mount Airy 15-0.
Originally a 2-0 game through four innings, East Surry capitalized on Mount Airy errors to double its lead in the fifth inning. The Cardinals got hot in the sixth and had 14 batters in the top of the inning. A grand slam from Folger Boaz scored the game’s final four runs, then the Bears went three up, three down in the bottom of the inning so the game was ended via mercy rule.
The game against East was Mount Airy’s second in two days. The Bears won their season opener, hitting a walk-off to defeat Reidsville 10-9. The victory was the team’s first under new head coach Josh Wilson.
Wednesday’s win was the 2021-22 opener for the Cardinals, who are one season removed from winning the 1A West Regional Championship. Folger Boaz and Luke Brown combined to throw a no-hitter with 11 strikeouts. Boaz started on the mound and threw nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings, and Brown struck out a pair of batters in the remaining 1.2 innings.
The Granite Bears made the first scoring threat of the night after its defense sent each of the Cardinals’ first three batters back to the bench. Rylan Venable and Logan Dowell were each walked with a strikeout in-between, then both players advanced to scoring position on a double steal.
Boaz kept the scoreboard clear with back-to-back strikeouts.
Venable threw his first two of seven strikeouts in the top of the second as the Cards once again went three up, three down. Boaz struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the inning, but Josh Penn made it to first on a Cardinal fielding error. Penn was tagged out when he got caught in a pickle.
East’s Brett Clayton was walked to begin the third inning, giving the Cards their first baserunner of the season. Tristen Mason bunted and reached first while also moving Clayton to third. Venable stuck out Gabriel Harpe, then the Bears intentionally walked Boaz to bring Armstrong to the plate.
With bases loaded, Armstrong bit the bullet and hit a grounder to the second baseman. Though out at first, it allowed Clayton to give East a 1-0 lead.
East Surry’s advantage increased to two runs in the fourth. Clayton led off once again, and he and Mason were walked while both having a full count. A wild pitch moved Clayton to third before Harpe approached the plate for his second plate appearance.
With runners on the corners, Mason took off for second base. A Granite Bear error on the play allowed Clayton to score again and make it a 2-0 game.
Dowell was walked to start the bottom of the inning, but was called out when Reece Deaton got on base via a fielder’s choice. Deaton made it to second in the inning, but was left on the bag as the Bears remained scoreless.
East Surry’s Luke Bowman and Armstrong each got on base to start the fifth inning. Anthony Ayers put the ball in play in the infield, and a Granite Bear fielding error allowed Ayers to safely reach first while also allowing both Bowman and Armstrong to score.
Mount Airy’s final scoring chance came in the bottom of the fifth. Ian Gallimore was walked to start the inning, then moved to second on a wild pitch. Brown took the mound for East after the first out, and a single via error by Ashton Gwyn moved Gallimore to third with only one out.
East Surry kept the shutout alive with two quick outs. Gwyn was thrown out at second by Bowman with Venable at bat, then Venable grounded out.
Bowman then increased the Cardinal lead to 5-0 in the top of the sixth by scoring off an RBI single from Armstrong. Boaz was walked by Gwyn, then crushed a double to score run No. 6. A wild pitch thrown to Brown scored Boaz, then a Mount Airy fielding error put Brown on first and scored Ayers to make it 8-0.
The Bears got the second out of the evening on a fly-out, but then East loaded the bases. Harpe connected for a hit and safely reached first on an error that also allowed the Cards to score two runs.
Deaton took over on the mound after Peyton Inscore was walked to load the bases. Zach Edwards was awarded a base on balls to score run No. 11 and load the bases again, then Boaz hit his grand slam.
Two Mount Airy players flied out and one struck out in the bottom of the sixth inning, ending the game via mercy rule.
Mount Airy goes on the road for the first time this season to face Mount Tabor on February 4, and East Surry faces Polk County on Feb. 5.
Scoring
East Surry – 0, 0, 1, 1, 2, 11, X = 15
Mount Airy – 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, X = 0
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com