By David Rogers. GRANITE FALLS, N.C. — In a genuine baseball slugfest, it doesn’t get more dramatic than J T Cook’s walk-off home run leading off the ninth inning with the score tied at 10-10. The sophomore’s dinger helped the Pioneers win their second round game of the Northwestern Conference tournament, 11-10, at M.S. Deal Stadium.
It was Cook’s only hit of the night but it was a big one as he pummeled the ball over the left field fence on the first pitch of the inning.
Getting to the 10-10 tie entering the ninth inning was not easy. Watauga opened the game with three runs in the bottom of the first frame, but the Spartans scored two runs in each of the second, third and fourth innings to take a 6-4 lead heading into the fifth.
Undeterred, the Pioneers retired the Spartans in order in the top of the fifth inning, and then got offensive in the bottom half of inning. Junior Jameson Hodges started things off with a leadoff single to center, then got all the way to third base on an error and a wild pitch by the South Caldwell pitcher, trotting home on a follow-up single off the bat of sophomore shortstop Maddox Greene. Senior Jacob Dilley was credited with a hit on a hard ground ball that the second baseman was unable to handle, putting runners at the corners. Tristan Salinas fouled off the first two balls thrown but then connected for a 3-run home run over the left field fence, putting the Pioneers back in front, 8-6.
The Pioneers weren’t quite done for the inning, with Johnny Ray ripping a 1-out double to the gap in center and advancing to third on a single to right by Cooper Critcher. Cook followed with a long, sacrifice fly to center, with Ray coming home for the last run of the inning to put the Watauga lead at 9-6.
Watauga picked up its tenth run of the game in the bottom half of the sixth inning, but a 10-6 lead proved tenuous as the Spartans rallied in the top of the 7th inning, highlighted by a 3-run home run powered over the left field fence by freshman Luke Williams that tied the game at 10-10, where the score stood until the dramatic finish in the bottom of the ninth.
Dilley was credited with the win for the Pioneers, Elias Morales the loss for the Spartans.
The win puts the Pioneers in the NWC championship game scheduled for Thursday, May 4, at M.S. Deal Stadium in Granite Falls vs. regular season nemesis, Alexander Central. The Cougars got by Ashe County in the second round on May 2, 10-0.
Key Watauga Performances
- Jameson Hodges 3-5, 2 runs scored
- Maddox Greene 3-4, 3 runs scored, 1 RBI, 2B, 1 walk
- Jacob Dilley 3-4, 3 runs scored, 3 RBIs, HR, 1 walk
- Tristan Salinas 1-4, 1 run scored, 3 RBIs, HR, 1 walk
- J T Cook 1-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, HR, 1 sacrifice fly
- Cooper Riddle 3-5, 2 RBIs
- Johnny Ray 1-3, 1 run scored, 2B, 1 walk
