Harvey’s double helps WCMS edge McCallie
|
The Pioneers jumped out to an early lead, but needed a big hit from Mark Harvey in the fifth to hand McCallie’s Blue Tornado a 4-3 loss in a game which was originally set for Tuesday, but moved up a day to avoid predicted rainstorms.
With the game tied at 3-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth, Yuta Nakashima drew a leadoff walk and stole second base, then came around to score what would prove to be the game-winning run when Harvey belted a two-strike offering from McCallie’s Alex Goss deep to left field.
Harvey was later tagged out while trying to score on a wild pitch, and Goss avoided any further damage with a pair of strikeouts. But Pioneer starter Casey Myers retired the Blue Tornado in the sixth, and P.L. Prater nailed down the save by working the top of the seventh.
Myers picked up the win on the mound, pitching the first six innings and giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits, seven walks and a hit batsman. Goss took the loss for McCallie.
Myers helped his cause at the plate, going 3-for-3 and scoring the first Pioneer run after a deep single to center field. He moved to third on a two-out hit from Daniel Savage, and both he and Savage scored when Matt McColloch and Dylan Keith hit back-to-back singles.
Chase Brookshire led off the McCallie fourth with a walk, scoring on a single from Cliff Dye. Dye and Marco Italia, who had also walked, both came around to score when WCMS attempted a 5-2-3 double play, but catcher Tyler Gilley’s throw to first went into right field.
Warren County came back to tie the game in the home half of the inning, with Casey Dunn drawing a leadoff walk, stealing second and third, and scoring on a two-out single from Keith, who finished 2-for-2, reaching base in all three at-bats.
McColloch had two hits for the Pioneers, while Savage had his team’s other base knock.
Dye and Bobby Baskette had the only two hits for the Blue Tornado.
The Pioneers are scheduled to travel to Sparta Thursday for a 4:30 doubleheader.