By David Rogers. MORGANTON, N.C. — Allowing just one run on four hits while striking out eight Freedom batters over five innings, Watauga pitcher Daniel Jones did his part in the Pioneers’ run-rule win, 14-1, over the Patriots on March 28. Four-hit batting performances each by Jake Blanton and Cade Keller led a multi-faceted, offensive barrage that did the rest.
Freedom got on the board in the bottom half of the first inning to draw the proverbial first blood, but the Pioneers pulled even at 1-1 in the top of the third, then exploded for 13 runs in the fourth and fifth innings while Jones kept mowing down the Patriot batters.
After Dillon Zaragoza grounded out to first in the top of the fourth inning, the Pioneers got three consecutive singles from JJ Everett, Keller, and Brett Vannoy ahead of a double to left by Walker Ransdell. Everett scored on Vannoy’s single and Keller crossed home plate on Ransdell’s two-bagger. A sacrifice ground out by Evan Burroughs pushed David Pastusic (a courtesy runner for Vannoy) home and moved Ransdell to an even better scoring position at third base. Ransdell then scored on a wild pitch with Maddox Greene at the plate before the senior shortstop eventually drew a walk. Greene advanced to third base on a Blanton single, then scored on another wild pitch by the Patriots’ sophomore hurler, Alex Wall.
Wall got out of the inning without further damage, but after four innings the visitors from Boone had a comfortable lead, 6-1.
Three consecutive strikes by Jones cooled off any Freedom thoughts of retaliation in the bottom of the fourth, setting the stage for a final 8-run outburst by the Pioneers in the top of the fifth. Consecutive singles by Everett, Keller and Vannoy produced one run, then a brilliant sacrifice bunt by Watauga catcher Chase Gillin moved Keller and Vannoy to better scoring position at 3rd base and 2nd base, respectively. A walk to Burroughs loaded the bases and yet another walk issued to Greene forced home Keller, extending the Pioneer lead to 8-1.
But with the bases loaded and only one out, Watauga wasn’t done. Blanton ripped the ball up the middle for a single, scoring Burroughs and Vannoy. Then JT Cook lashed a double to the centerfield fence, scoring Greene for an 11-1 Pioneer lead. Zaragoza piled on with an RBI single to left, scoring Blanton, before Everett lofted a sacrifice fly to right for only the second out of the inning, with Cook tagging up at third base and jogging home. After Zaragoza alertly stole second base to put himself in scoring position, Keller sent a fly ball through the gap in right field for a double, Zaragoza taking advantage for the 14th and final run of the game.
Jones finished off the Patriots in the bottom half of the fifth, the 13-run lead triggering the NCHSAA run-rule win after five innings are in the books.
On Saturday, March 29, Watauga travels to Davie County for a 1 p.m. tilt, before another road trip on April 1 to challenge Ashe County.
KEY PERFORMERS
- WAT – Jake Blanton: 4-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, 3 stolen bases
- WAT – Cade Keller: 3-4, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, double
- WAT – Brett Vannoy: 2-4, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs
- WAT – Walker Ransdell: 1-1, 1 run scored, 1 RBI. double
- WAT – Dillon Zaragoza: 2-4, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, stolen base
- WAT – JT Cook: 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, 1 walk, double
- WAT – Maddox Greene: 0-1, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, 2 walks, sacrifice fly
- WAT – Evan Burroughs: 1-3, 2 runs scored, 1 RBI, 1 walk, 2 stolen bases
