Comeback bid falls for Tigers to New Brockton

Straughn fell behind early and staged a late rally but could not overcome several errors and came up short to New Brockton, 12-6, in varsity baseball action on Friday, April 4.

The Tigers slipped to 8-7 overall and 4-2 in 4A Area 4 with playoff implications on the line this week in an area series with Opp. The Gamecocks improved to 11-9 and also 4-2 in area play.

Clark Gay began the game on the mound and struck out Jacob Fisher in the top of the first, but a wild pitch allowed Fisher to reach first. Fisher then stole second and third before walks to Judd Thomas and Hayden Pope loaded the bases with two outs. William Adkison hit a grand slam and gave New Brockton a 4-0 lead. Matt Ashberry singled with two outs in the bottom half, but Straughn trailed 4-0 after one inning.

Payton Mclaughlin reached on an error in the second and came around to score on another defensive miscue. James Downing singled and set up runners at the corners, but Gay worked out of the jam. The score stayed 5-0 after two innings.

Gay stranded a two-out base runner in the third as the Gamecocks hung a zero on the scoreboard. The Tigers were unable to capitalize and continued to trail 5-0 after three innings.

New Brockton loaded the bases in the top of the fourth on consecutive singles from Mclaughlin and Gavin Hand as Fisher reached on an error. After a force play at home, Thomas had a sacrifice fly and brought home Hand. Pope delivered an RBI single to plate Fisher. Crumper was hit by a pitch before Justin Rider took over on the mound. Landin Norris connected for an RBI single and capped the scoring in the frame.

Ashberry was hit by a pitch with one out in the bottom of the inning. Eli Grissett then knocked a single and put runners at first and second. Fisher battled back and held Straughn in check with two fly outs as the score stayed 9-0 after four innings.

Rider struck out two batters in the visiting fifth as neither side posted a run in the frame and kept the score 9-0 after five innings.

The Gamecocks mounted a two-out rally in the sixth on a single by Crumpler and an error that allowed Norris to reach. Mclaughlin kept the inning alive after another defensive miscue pushed the lead to 11-0.

Needing two runs to stay alive, J.T. Moreno opened the bottom of the frame with a double. Saxby Radford then drove home Moreno with an RBI single and put the Tigers on the scoreboard. Radford stole second and moved to third on a groundout before Grissett cashed in the runner and took the score to 11-2 after six innings.

Fisher led off the top of the seventh with a single and scored the final New Brockton run on an RBI single by Thomas.

Straughn refused to go quietly in the home half and made things interesting. Ace Carter and Mack McIntyre walked with one out before Moreno cut the deficit to 12-3 with an RBI single and got Carter home. Radford doubled home McIntyre, and Grissett took a bases-loaded walk that brought in Moreno. Tate Watson was hit by a pitch as Radford scored the final run.

Moreno was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI. Grissett finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Radford was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Gay allowed nine runs (four earned) on five hits with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Rider gave up three unearned runs on four hits and struck out three over the final 3 1/3 innings.

Straughn begins its final area series on Tuesday, April 8, at 5 p.m. against Opp. The two teams will close the series on Thursday, April 10, at 4:30 p.m. in Opp.