By David Rogers. HUDSON, N.C. — If Watauga third baseman Cooper Riddle had only hit a triple, he would have accomplished one of baseball’s most prized feats for a single game: “hitting for the cycle.” He still had a big night at the plate on March 21 at South Caldwell, slugging a double, hammering a home run and lacing a single into the outfield. His stat line included three RBIs and three runs scored during Watauga’s 11-8 win.
Teammate Johnny Ray nearly equaled Riddle’s prolific offensive production, going 2-for-4, with two runs scored and three RBIs while ripping a triple and slamming a home run.
The Pioneers got on the board in the top of the first inning when Maddox Greene tripled to right, then scored on a throwing error by the catcher trying to pick the Watauga sophomore off third.
South Caldwell responded in the bottom of the first with three runs to take an early lead, but the Pioneers exploded for 9 runs in the top half of the 2nd inning, giving the visitors a commanding, 10-3 early lead.
Riddle started things off in the top of the second inning with a bloop single to center that dropped just in front of the South Caldwell centerfielder. Ray followed with a line drive down the right field line for a triple, scoring Riddle. Pioneer catcher Cooper Critcher grounded out to second base, scoring Ray.
When South Caldwell senior pitcher Dylan Dula struck out Jake Henderson on three pitched balls, it would have been easy to think the Pioneers offensive threat was about done. Instead, it was just getting started.
David Pastusic started things off with a single to center. The Spartans had a chance to get out of the inning when Jameson Hodges hit a ground ball to second, but the second baseman mishandled it, Hodges just beating the throw to first and Pastusic taking second. Greene followed with a single to center, the base runners playing conservative and not risking the third out.
With bases loaded, Jacob Dilley was hit by a Dula pitch that was just a little too far inside, forcing Pastusic home and advancing the other runners. With the bases loaded anew, Tristan Salinas hit a line drive single to left field, scoring Greene and Hodges. Dilley, still running conservative, advanced to second.
That brought Riddle back up for his second at bat of the inning. After a wild pitch by Dula that saw Dilley and Salinas taking third base and second base respectively, Riddle promptly doubled to the gap in left field, Dilley and Salinas both scoring, putting the Pioneers in the proverbial driver’s seat with an 8-3 lead.
But Ray wanted more and he finished off the scoring with a monster home run over the right field fence, scoring Riddle ahead of him to complete the second inning scoring at 10 runs.
Watauga was retired in order in the third and fourth innings. Riddle led off the top of the fifth inning with a towering home run over the left field fence, expanding the Pioneer advantage to 11-3. South Caldwell held the Pioneers scoreless in the sixth and 7th innings while punching in one run in the sixth and three in the seventh inning, but it was not enough to overcome Watauga’s early lead.
Sophomore starting pitcher J T Cook was credited with the win, Dula took the loss for the Spartans.
With the win, the Pioneers improve to 9-1 on the season, 1-0 in Northwestern Conference play. With the loss, South Caldwell drops to 4-3 overall, 0-1 in Northwestern Conference competition.
South Caldwell will entertain West Caldwell in a non-conference matchup on March 23 before going on the road to Freedom on March 24.
Watauga travels to Taylorsville on March 24 to challenge Alexander Central, then hosts Hibriten on March 28.
SELECTED INDIVIDUAL WATAUGA PERFORMANCES
- Cooper Riddle: 3-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored
- Johnny Ray: 2-for-3, 3B, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 runs scored, 1 walk, stolen base
- Maddox Greene: 2-for-3, 3B, 2 runs scored
- Tristan Salinas: 1-for-4, 2 RBIs, 1 run scored
