WCMS holds on to down Grundy

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard

Warren County Middle School pitcher P.L. Prater delivers during the second inning of Wednesday’s game at Pioneer Park. The Pioneers defeated Grundy County, 5-4. (Rob Nunley photo)

Yuta Nakashima helped the Warren County Middle School baseball team rally from an early deficit, and Casey Myers allowed them to hold on for a 5-4 victory over Grundy County Wednesday afternoon at Pioneer Park.

With one out and the Pioneers trailing 2-1, Nakashima belted a double to left-center field which one-hopped into the fence, plating both Mark Harvey, who had reached on an error, and P.L. Prater, who beat out an infield hit.

Nakashima, who took third on a throw home, scored himself on a double steal, coming in when the Yellow Jackets tried to throw out Cody Ray at second base.

Dylan Keith scored an insurance run in the fourth, singling with one out and coming home on a two-out single from Myers. The insurance run proved to be pivotal, when the Jackets added an unearned run in the top of the seventh. But with the bases loaded and just one out, Prater got out of the jam with a pair of infield flies, snagging the final one himself to nail down the victory.

Prater struggled early on the hill, giving up back-to-back singles to start the game and allowing two runs in the first, but settled down for the duration of the contest, giving up just six hits over the final six innings of play while walking four, hitting one, and fanning four.

At the plate, Keith led the way with a 3-for-4 day, driving in one run and scoring what would prove to be the game-winner. Prater also went 3-for-4, scoring a run, while Mark Harvey, Myers, Nakashima and Matt McColloch had the Pioneers’ other hits.