Gonzalez goes deep twice in WCMS win
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Gonzalez belted a pair of home runs, and Roth Nunley pitched a complete game, as the Pioneers closed the home portion of their 2007 schedule with a 5-2 win over Central Tennessee Conference rival Coffee County.
The win locked up a second-place finish in the CTC standings, giving the Pioneers a first-round bye in this week?s tournament. It also avenged one of only two conference losses the team has suffered this season.
WCMS will begin its quest for a tourney title at 7:30 Tuesday night, taking on the winner of Monday?s game between Franklin County North and Manchester Westwood. The tournament will be played at North in Winchester.
After two scoreless innings Thursday, the Pioneers started the third with a single by Ethan Wilson, and Brett Mullican drew a walk. Caleb Northcutt bunted the ball to third, where Wilson was caught off the bag and tagged for the first out of the frame.
Dustin Rhea?s grounder to third forced out Mullican, but the throw in an attempt for a double play went wide of first, allowing Northcutt to come all the way around to score the Pioneers? first run of the game.
Gonzalez made it 2-0 in the Pioneers? favor on the first pitch of the fourth, driving an offering from Derek Bowles over the left-field wall. Tylan Martin followed with a walk, and was moved over by Caleb Northcutt?s bunt. He took third on a wild pitch and scored when Wilson blooped a single into left.
Coffee County got to Nunley for a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, with Reed Wolf reaching on an error and Shane Salley beating out an infield single. Wolfe scored on a throwing error by Nunley, and Tyler Clayborne?s grounder to third plated Salley.
The Pioneers got both runs back, however, beginning when Gonzalez belted another solo homer, this time with two out in the bottom of the fifth against Salley, who came on in relief of Bowles.
Nunley was hit by a pitch to start the sixth, and took second when Wilson lined out to third and Wolfe threw the ball away trying for a double play at first. Coffee County first baseman Collin Baldwin then tried to throw out Nunley at second, but his attempt went into left field, allowing Nunley to come all the way home with what would prove to be the final run of the game.
Nunley fanned three batters on his way to the win, scattering six hits and five walks over seven innings of work. Neither Coffee County run was earned.
At the plate, Gonzalez and Wilson both went 2-for-3, while the Pioneers? other hits came from Northcutt and Martin.