By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — High drama marked Watauga’s baseball home stand vs. Northwestern Conference 4A rival South Caldwell, right until the very end. With two outs in the bottom of the 7th inning, the bases loaded and having cut their deficit to the visiting Spartans to just a single run, the Pioneers couldn’t quite get the job done for a walk-off win.
Jake Blanton, Watauga’s best hitter this season made contact but his long, fly ball to centerfield fell into the waiting glove of the visitors’ Kori McCall for the third and final out, sealing South Caldwell’s 7-6 victory.
Each team committed three errors and Watauga rapped out a total of 12 hits compared to South Caldwell’s five, but the Spartans were more proficient in capitalizing on their scoring opportunities.
McCall hit a shot in the top of the 6th inning that cleared the left field fence for a 2-run home run and the Spartan cause was aided by timely, run-scoring doubles by junior catcher John Paul Smith and senior right fielder Walker Hartley to take advantage of opportunities.
With South Caldwell leading, 7-4, when the Pioneers came to the plate for their final at-bats, things started to look promising for the home team fans when Dillon Zaragoza and JJ Everett put runners on first and third with back-to-back singles.Then successive singles by Pioneer catcher Chase Gillin and second baseman Evan Burroughs scored Zaragoza and Everett, closing the deficit to 7-6. Senior shortstop Maddox Greene promptly lined a single to left, loading the bases. A single would have at least brought in the tying run, and possibly even the winning run, but on this night it was not to be.
KEY PEFORMERS
- SC – Kori McCall: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, HR
- SC – John Paul Smith: 1-2, 4 RBIs, double, hit by pitch, sacrifice fly
- SC – Walker Hartley: 1-2, 3 runs scored, 2 walks, double, 2 stolen bases
- WAT – Daniel Jones: 4 innings pitched, 2 runs on 2 hits, 4 strikeouts, 1 walk
- WAT – Chase Gillin: 3-3, 2 RBIs, 1 walk
- WAT – Dillon Zaragoza: 3-4, 1 run scored, 2 stolen bases
- WAT – Jake Blanton: 1-4, 1 RBI, double, sacrifice fly
- WAT – Maddox Greene: 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 walk, hit by pitch, 2 stolen bases
- WAT – JT Cook: 0-4, 2 RBIs
- WAT – Evan Burroughs: 1-5, 1 run scored, 1 RBI
- WAT – JJ Everett: 1-3, 1 run scored, stolen base
- WAT – Cade Keller: 2-4, 1 run scored, double
