Pioneers edge White County in home matchups
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Scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to win the varsity tilt 9-8, the Pioneers went on to complete the sweep by plating two runs in the bottom of the fifth in Game 2, capturing an 11-10 win.
Micah McColloch drove in the game-winner in the opener, drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs to bring home Brett Mullican, who had found his way aboard by earning the third of what would prove to be five free passes given up by Sparta pitching in the inning.
Nelson Huckeby had opened the game with a base-on-balls, and took second and third on wild pitches to Garrison Holmes, who also walked. A throwing error by White County’s catcher plated Huckeby and moved Holmes to second, where he was sacrificed over by a Spencer Pryor bunt and later scored on Austin Green’s groundout. Mullican followed with a walk, as did Nick Grandey and Austin Panter, loading the bases for McColloch’s game-deciding free pass.
White County drew first blood in Monday’s game, with Kane Young driving home Devin Davidson with a single off Pioneer starter Connor Dixon. But the Pioneers answered when Green singled to lead off the bottom of the first, later scoring on a groundout by Derek Brumley.
WCMS took a lead in the second thanks to a pair of errors by Davidson at shortstop, the later of which came on a Huckeby grounder which scored McColloch, but Sparta answered in the third with three runs, including a two-run, two-out double by Bradley Barker.
The Pioneers got a run back when Panter drove home Mullican in the bottom of the inning, but Sparta added single runs in the fourth and fifth before the Pioneers countered with three in the bottom of the fifth, with an RBI single from Mullican and a two-run error off Panter’s bat.
Young struck again for Sparta in the top of the sixth, belting a two-run double to left and setting the stage for the WCMS comeback in the bottom of the frame.
Dixon worked four innings, allowing five runs (three earned) on just two hits while walking five and fanning four. He gave way to Mullican, who pitched the game’s final three innings, retiring Trent England on a bases-loaded fly ball to nail down the save.
At the dish Mullican also led the way, finishing with a pair of hits and scoring three of his team’s nine runs, including the game-winner.
In the JV game, Warren County fell behind 4-1 through 2 1/2 innings, but scored four runs in the bottom of the third to take back a brief lead.
Sparta countered with two in the top of the fourth, but once again Warren County plated four, including two on back-to-back hit batsmen with the bases loaded.
After a four-run White County fifth put the visitors on top 10-9, the Pioneers game back to the plate with Mitchell Steiner, who was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the inning. Daulton Foster and Bryce Caten both went down swinging, but Ben Wilson came through with a clutch hit up the middle, and Kendall Rutledge’s fly to right was misplayed, allowing Steiner to score.
With the game now tied at 10-all, Alex Walker came to the plate, and reached base for the fourth time in the game, driving home Wilson with a sharp single to the opposite field. The hit was the second of the game for Walker, while Caten also added a pair of hits to the Pioneers’ offensive scorebook.
WCMS was scheduled to travel to Coffee County Tuesday night, and visits Shelbyville on Thursday.