By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — For the better part of five innings on June 4, the Boone Bigfoots couldn’t get anything going offensively, all but caged by the Asheboro Zookeepers. The scoring drought came to a decisive end in the sixth and seventh innings, however, powered by home runs off the bats of Boone third baseman Nick DiPietrantonio and first baseman Caden Wagner.
Trailing 5-1 entering the bottom half of the sixth inning, Wagner — having just arrived in Boone from the University of Northern Colorado — led off the Bigfoots’ half of the 6th with a single. The next batter was DiPietrantonio (Princeton University) and he promptly powered a 1-2 pitch over the 385-foot marker on the fence in left field for a 2-RBI home run, narrowing the deficit to 5-3.
After holding the Zookeepers scoreless in the top of the 7th inning, the Bigfoots had a statement inning in the bottom of the 7th: they would not be denied their first Coastal Plain League win of the young season.
Boone catcher Blake Hale (from Murray State) and shortstop Carlos Amezquita (UNC-Pembroke) got the inning started with consecutive singles. Three batters later, Wagner hammered a 3-RBI home run over the left field fence, putting the Bigfoots ahead to stay. Boone added an insurance run later in the inning when DiPietrantonio smacked a double to the warning track in right center and crossed the plate with the Bigfoots’ final run one batter later.
Although he only pitched 1.1 innings, Zach Lewis (an Appalachian State reliever) was on the mound at the right time for when the Bigfoots surged into the lead and was credited with the win. Asheboro’s Loy Hickman picked up the loss. Boone’s Cord Butler earned the save.
TOP INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCES
- BIG – Nick DiPietrantonio: 2-4, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, 2B, HR, stolen base
- BIG – Caden Wagner: 2-4, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, HR
- BIG – Braxton Church: 2-5
- BIG – Blake Hale: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 2 walks
- ZOO – Cooper George: 3-5, 1 run scored
- ZOO – Trey Way: 2-3, 3 RBIs, 2 walks
BONUS PHOTOS
