By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Stormy skies threatened, then disappeared on July 1 at Smith Stadium where the Boone Bigfoots edged the HP-Thomasville HiToms, 7-6.
Both teams had good offensive production early in the game, resulting in a 5-5 score by the end of the fourth inning. After three innings of shutout ball, the Bigfoots got back to business and followed the HiToms’ eighth inning run with a tally in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game, then another in the 10th inning for the win.
In the bottom of the 8th, after the HiToms had poked ahead, 6-5, in the top half of the inning, the Bigfoots threatened to tie when Justin Reed walked and Watauga High School alum Tristan Salinas was inserted as a pinch runner. The former Pioneer hardballer survived two pickoff attempts, then stole both second base and third base, putting himself in scoring position to potentially tie the game. Unfortunately, he was left stranded on third to end the inning.
Boone’s shortstop, Jalen Vasquez, took care of things, though, in the bottom of the ninth with a solo home run to knot the score at 6-6. Then Will Dorrell, who had left Salinas stranded on third an inning earlier, redeemed himself with a single to left, scoring Carlos Amezquita from third base to win the day.
Righthanded starting pitcher Dakota Crumbley (1-1) was credited as the winning pitcher with the HiToms’ Cam Padgitt picking up the loss. Boone’s closer, Cordarius Butler, recorded his sixth save on the year.
With the win, Boone (10-12) settles into the West Division’s fourth place as the Coastal Plain League approaches the midway point of the season.
TOP BIGFOOTS PERFORMERS
- Rhogue Wallace: 3-4, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 2B, HR
- Will Dorrell: 3-5, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, 3B, SB
- Caden Wagner: 1-5, 1 RBI, 2B
- Jalen Vasquez: 1-4, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, HR
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