By Chris McCarthy/Editor
Glencoe scored eight unanswered runs en route to an 8-3
victory over Glencoe in high school baseball on Monday (Mar. 24) at GHS.
The Yellow Jackets (8-7) took the lead for good on Taylor
Daugherty’s two-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning, then tacked on
four more scores in the sixth to put the game away.
“We blew a three-run lead last week against Cleveland, so
our pitching was a little better today,” said Glencoe head coach Charlie
Robertson. “We made a few errors out there, which we need to cut out. If we
don’t make any errors, we play pretty good. We’ve also got some pretty good
speed this year.”
The Eagles (6-6) stranded eight baserunners, including five
in scoring position.
“It came down to timely hitting,” said Hokes Bluff head
coach Mike Robertson. “Their kids had three or four two-out hits. We had
chances early in the game to do that, and that cost us. We had men on base all
over the place in the first few innings and left them out there.”
Andrew Willis had a big day at the plate for Glencoe. The
junior leftfielder went 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
“Andrew is knocking the heck out of the ball right now,”
said Robertson. “He and Dalton [Roberts] are the ones that are carrying us
right now.”
Pitching the final three innings, winning pitcher Dalton
Roberts struck out six while allowing two hits and no walks.
The Eagles’ highwater mark came in the top of the first,
when respective RBI doubles from Pollard and Drake Nanney gave the visitors a
3-0 lead.
Hokes Bluff had the opportunity to build on its advantage in
each of the next two innings with bases-loaded/two-outs situations, but the
Eagles grounded out in both instances to end the threats.
The hosts drew within 3-1 in the bottom of the first on
Houston Word’s score off Willis’ base hit, but Hokes Bluff starter Chase Beggs
retired seven of the next eight batters to maintain the Eagle lead.
Glencoe cut the lead to one run in the bottom of the fifth
when Pace Ozmint walked and scored on Jeff Ford’s base hit.
With Roberts allowing just one baserunner in the fifth and
sixth innings, the Yellow Jackets used Daugherty’s fifth-inning double to make
it 4-3 in favor of the hosts. Willis’ two-run triple in the sixth increased the
advantage to three runs, while Willis and Will Parker both scored later in the
inning for the final margin.
At the plate for the Eagles, Nanney went 3-for-4 with two
RBI, while Pollard went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
Beggs and Chase Pope also had a hit.