Games 5 and 6 v. Forsyth

Playing a double header at Fleming v. our first conference opponents, the Warriors (5-1) exhibited excellent pitching, hitting and defense to sweep the Forsyth Home Educators, 12-1 in first game and 8-4 in the second.

In the first game, Bill pitched a complete game allowing only 2 hits. He struck out 7 batters over 5 innings and didn’t walk anyone. The defensive web gem of the day came in the fifth inning when the visitors loaded the bases with no outs, and the heart of the order coming up. The Forsyth batter lifted a fly ball to left field where TJ settled under the ball, caught it, and fired a laser to Whit who tagged out the runner trying score. Going from bases loaded no outs, to men on first and second 2 outs, in one play, took the wind out of the opponents, and Bill induced the next batter into a 1-3 ground out to end the game.

Offensively, in the first game, we scored in each inning and batted around in the 4th, scoring 5 runs in that frame. Leading batters in the first game were Whit (2-3), Caleb (2-4), Bill (2-3), and Mark (1-1).

In the second game, Caleb started off on the mound going 4 strong innings allowing 2 earned runs, striking out 2, and walking 2 (erasing one of those walks by picking off the runner on 1st). Chris came in to finish off the game in the fifth inning and earn a save by striking out 6, walking 2 and allowing 2 earned runs.

Offensively, the dramatic moment came in the bottom of the 6th. Forsyth had scored twice in the top of the sixth to come within one of the Warriors, 5-4, and the momentum seemed to be shifting. Caleb started off our half of the inning with a walk. Caleb moved over to second on a wild pitch, and Forsyth decided to intentionally walk Bill. Chris hit a single to load the bases with no out. Matthew came to the plate. The first pitch to Matthew was a wild pitch, scoring Caleb from 3rd and the other two runners moving up. Matthew then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt, scoring Bill and moving Chris to third. Next up for the Warriors was Taylor who worked a walk. Then Josh hit the ball to the infield in a potentially inning ending double play, but, by hustling down the first base line, didn’t allow the defense to double him up which allowed Chris to score. With three runs in, the Warriors had an 8-4 lead going into the 7th inning, they had some breathing room, and Chris was able to close them down with 2Ks and a ground out to end the game.

Next week brings three away games. On Tuesday, the Warriors travel to Rocky Mount to face Rocky Mount Christian Academy; on Thursday, we travel to the USA baseball complex to take on our league opponent the Raleigh Hawks, and we finish off the week with a rare Friday night game against Wilson Christian Academy.