By David Rogers. MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Jumping out to an early, 8-run lead is a good start to winning a baseball game. That is exactly what the Watauga High School varsity team did on April 22, at The Ripken Experience baseball complex in Myrtle Beach, en route to tournament-opening 10-9 win over the Fort Mill (S.C.) Yellow Jackets.
The Pioneers’ Evan Burroughs almost single-handedly manufactured a run for Watauga in the first inning, drawing a leadoff walk, advancing to second base on an error by the Fort Mill pitcher, then stealing third base. He then capitalized on the opening alertness by racing home by the Yellow Jackets’ catcher. Cade Keller ripped a 2-out double later in the inning, but the Pioneers were unable to get him home.
Watauga’s starting pitcher, Everett Gryder, gave up a 2-out double in the bottom of the first inning but recovered to get the third out before Fort Mill could do anything more, offensively.
Watauga exploded for five runs in the top of the second inning, jumpstarted by Fort Mill junior righthander Caleb Stevens’ early control problems, walking JJ Everett to open the inning, then hitting Brett Vannoy with a pitch. A sacrifice bunt by Walker Ransdell put both runners in scoring position and Burroughs responded by lacing a double to the right field fence shortly after JJ Everett scored on a passed ball.
Stevens’ control problems continued, walking Watauga shortstop Maddox Greene ahead of a run-scoring single by Pioneer centerfielder Jake Blanton. Keller rapped another single to score Greene, Blanton stopping at third base.
Fort Mill brought in another pitcher, sophomore righthander Sullivan Townley to get the final out, but the damage had been done with Watauga leading, 6-0.
Gryder again avoided trouble in the bottom of the second, only facing four batters and holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless. His adversary on the mound for Fort Mill, Townley, duplicated that effort in the top of the third inning, but while Gryder was shutting out the Yellow Jackets in the third and fourth innings, the Pioneers added two more runs in the top of the 4th to increase their advantage to 8-0.
Fort Mill finally chased Gryder in the bottom half of the fifth inning, scoring three runs, then added three more in the 6th inning off of Pioneer reliever, Burroughs. The High Country visitors added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh and that proved fortuitous because the Yellow Jackets scored three more runs in the bottom of the inning before Watauga’s second relief pitcher, Keller, closed out the game.
With the win, Watauga’s overall record improves to 11-11, 6-4 in Northwestern Conference play. They play again on April 23 against the Proctor Raiders of Utica, N.Y., at the Ripken complex.
KEY WATAUGA PERFORMERS
- WAT – Evan Burroughs: 1-3, 3 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2 walks, double, 2 stolen bases
- WAT – Maddox Greene: 1-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, triple
- WAT – Jake Blanton: 3-5, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2 doubles, stolen base
- WAT – Cade Keller: 2-4, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, double, hit by pitch, stolen base
- WAT – JT Cook: 1-3, 2 RBIs, sacrifice fly,
- WAT – JJ Everett: 0-2, 1 run scored, 2 walks
- WAT – Brett Vannoy: 1-2, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 1 walk, hit by pitch
