By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Visiting Ashe County struck first on April 27, scoring a run in the first inning of their Northwestern Conference first round playoff game against Watauga. The home side countered with three runs in the second and third frames, but that proved just a warm-up for the Pioneers’ 9-run explosion in the bottom of the 4th inning. It was a run-rule win after five, 12-1.
Brett Vannoy’s 3-RBI home run in the bottom of the 4th inning was icing on the cake — after Dillon Zaragoza’s 2-run triple with two outs put some distance between the Pioneers and the Huskies on the scoreboard earlier in the inning.
Vannoy led off the decisive inning by drawing a 1-out walk but it looked like he would be stranded after Ashe County’s junior righthander Gavin Eller retired Chase Gillin with a strikeout. But with two outs, Evan Burroughs kept things alive, ripping a double to the centerfield fence, with Vannoy advancing from first to third. Pioneer shortstop Maddox Greene extended the inning with a 2-RBI single to right, then promptly stole second base to put himself in scoring position.
Watauga centerfielder Jake Blanton took advantage, lining a single to left to score the speedy Greene. The Huskies’ third baseman, Jordan Eller, mishandled a ground ball off the bat of his Pioneer counterpart, Cade Keller, allowing the multi-sport athlete to reach first base. First baseman JT Cook followed with yet another single, scoring Blanton with Keller stopping at third base.
Now ahead, 7-1, it turns out Watauga was just getting started. Zaragoza rapped his 2-run 3-bagger, then after a walk issued to Walker Ransdell, Vannoy put the game on ice with his dinger.
Everett Gryder picked up the win on the mound, allowing just one run on five hits.
With the win, the Pioneers advance to the NWC semifinals, most likely facing Alexander Central, which finished second in the regular season standings behind South Caldwell. The next round was not set as of press time.
KEY PERFORMERS
- WAT – Brett Vannoy: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 3 RBIs, HR, walk
- WAT – Dillon Zaragoza: 2-3, 1 run scored, 2 RBIs, double, triple
- WAT – Maddox Greene: 1-2, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs, walk, stolen base
- WAT – Jake Blanton: 1-2, 1 run scored, 1 RBI, walk
- WAT – Evan Burroughs: 2-3, 2 runs scored, double
- WAT – Everett Gryder: 4 innings pitched, allowed 1 run on 5 hits, 2 strikeouts, 3 walks
- WAT – Cade Keller: 2-3, 2 runs scored, 2 RBIs
- WAT – JT Cook: 1-3, 1 run scored, 1 RBI
