North Surry and East Surry followed their 3-2 clash on March 22 by combining for 20 runs in the rematch three days later.
Visiting East Surry matched its three runs from the first meeting within two innings of the rematch, going on to lead by as many as seven runs at 10-3. North Surry then made the most of its opportunities in the bottom of the sixth to close that gap to 10-7.
The Greyhounds battled back in the game with eight runs through the final three innings, but came up short in its comeback 11-9.
Friday’s Foothills 2A Conference battle was a wild ride from start to finish. The teams combined to use seven pitchers, and those pitchers threw a combined 25 strikeouts while walking 22 batters. North Surry’s two pitchers threw 10 strikeouts and walked seven batters, while East Surry’s five pitchers threw 15 strikeouts and walked 15 batters.
At least one run was scored in each inning, including an eight-run sixth inning in which each team scored four times.
East Surry improves to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in the FH2A Conference with Friday’s win. The Cards have now won four-straight games for the second time this season.
North Surry drops to 5-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
The Calm before the Storm
Through three innings, Friday’s game at North Surry appeared to be on a similar track as the Hounds and Cards’ game in Pilot Mountain; the teams combined for four runs, with each leaving a few runners on base, and both pitchers were finding their groove.
East Surry’s Luke Brown didn’t give up any hits in the first three innings. The senior struck out six batters in the first two innings, then gave up a run in the third after throwing four walks. The run was the only one allowed by Brown, who finished with 10 strikeouts and six walks in 4.0 innings. Brown also gave up two hits.
North’s James McCreary struck out six batters through the third inning while giving up three runs on four hits in that span.
East’s Caden Lasley started the game with a single in the top of the first inning. Lasley, who was the only player on either team to record multiple hits, finished the night with two doubles and a single. Lasley scored in the inning thanks to an RBI single hit by Brett Clayton.
It was Lasley’s turn to bring runners in during the second inning. Vince Pannutti was walked and Stevie Keener singled, then Lasley scored both with a 2RBI double.
North kept East from scoring in the top of the third, then Cade Atkins scored the Hounds’ first run after a series of walks from Brown.
Cardinals build their lead
East Surry followed a scoreless third inning by doubling its score in the fourth.
Will Jones and Pannutti were walked to start the inning, then a sacrifice bunt from Stevie Keener moved the runners to second and third. Matthew Keener came up to bat with two outs and hit a ball to left field, scoring both Jones and Pannutti.
Matthew went to second base when North Surry tried to throw Pannutti out at the plate. The Greyhounds tried to throw Matthew out at second, but an error on the throw sent the ball into the outfield and allowed the Cardinal senior to come home for run No. 6.
Trampus Atkins had the Greyhounds’ first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth, a single, and McCreary followed with a single of his own. However, another trio of strikeouts from Brown left the pair of runners stranded.
Trading Haymakers
The two teams combined for seven runs through the top of the fifth, but would combine for 13 more runs from the bottom of the fifth through the end of the game.
Greyhound Kolby Watson was walked by new Cardinal pitcher Luke Bruner to begin the latter half of the fifth inning. The senior wouldn’t spend much time on base as the next batter, Brodie Robertson, crushed a 2-run home run to cut the lead to 6-3.
The Cardinals responded with four runs in the top of the sixth. McCreary reached his pitch count after walking Jones, so Cade Atkins took over. Cade walked Pannutti, then another sacrifice bunt from Stevie Keener put his teammates on second and third base. Jones scored after Lasley hit a sacrifice fly to center field.
Matthew Keener was walked, then Folger Boaz was intentionally walked to load the bases and put Brown up to bat with two outs. Brown faced a full count when he hit a line drive to right field that was mishandled. Pannutti, Matthew and Boaz all scored on the error to make it 10-3.
Matthew Keener took over pitching duties for East in the bottom of the inning and struck out his first batter. McCreary and Jake Beamer were then walked before Matthew picked up another strikeout.
Robertson was walked, and a wild pitch on ball four allowed McCreary to score and make it 10-4. Myles Draughn and Bradley Goins were then walked, and another wild pitch allowed Beamer to reach the plate.
Jones took the mound with bases loaded and hit his first batter, Corbin Dollyhigh, to bring Robertson home. The Hounds were then able to score their seventh run after a Cardinal fielding error.
East added to its lead in the top of the seventh to make it 11-7. Jaxon Bottoms faced a full count before hammering a fly ball to the center field fence, reaching second in the process, then an RBI double from Lasley brought Bottoms home.
North needed four runs to force extra innings and was able to put the game-tying run on base with one out. McCreary was walked and Beamer singled, then Watson grounded out to move the runners to second and third. Robertson was walked to load the bases, then Draughn was also walked to bring McCreary home.
East made its final pitching change after McCreary scored. Stevie Keener took the mound, but his first throw was a wild pitch that allowed Beamer to score and close the gap to 11-9. Goins then faced a full count before being struck out by Stevie.
Dollyhigh approached the plate with two outs and the game-tying run on second base. The junior faced a 1-2 count, but two balls thrown by Stevie Keener gave Dollyhigh a full count. Dollyhigh connected with the next pitch and sent a line drive right at Stevie, which the pitcher knocked down with his glove. Stevie chased the deflection down and tossed to Brown at first for the final out of the game.
Scoring
ES – 1, 2, 0, 3, 0, 4, 1 = 11
NS – 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 4, 2 = 9
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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