Central Scores Early, Hangs On To Beat Red Bank, 7-6

Bret Hardy Strikes Out 12 As Purple Pounders Even Record At 7-7

  • Monday, March 30, 2015
  • John Hunt
Central's Dakota Fowler slides in under the tag of Red Bank third baseman Matt Oakes as Izak Sullivan (4) looks on. The Pounders defeated the Lions 7-6 in a District 6-AA contest.
Central's Dakota Fowler slides in under the tag of Red Bank third baseman Matt Oakes as Izak Sullivan (4) looks on. The Pounders defeated the Lions 7-6 in a District 6-AA contest.
photo by Dennis Norwood

Central baseball coach Glen Carter could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

His Purple Pounders had bolted to a 7-0 lead in the first three innings of Monday's 6-AA skirmish with the Red Bank Lions and things were looking pretty good for those guys in purple.

But it all came down to Red Bank's final at-bat. 

The Lions sent eight hitters to the plate and scored four runs, but the potential tying run was stranded on second base as Walker Waters struck out the last batter as Central headed back home with a heart-tugging 7-6 victory.

With the win, Central's overall record is now even at 7-7 while their mark of 4-1 leaves them in second place among District 6-AA teams behind Hixson.

 "I think we're all out of fingernails as we've been hanging on for dear life these last couple of innings," Carter said after his post-game talk.

"Red Bank battled back and really gave us a great game, but it's always a struggle when we play over here.  We are lucky to be leaving here tonight with a win," he continued.

"Their lefty came in and completely shut us down as we didn't make any adjustments at the plate.  We jumped out to a big lead early and I guess my guys thought it was over.  What really hurt was us putting runners on second and third with no outs in the fifth and not scoring a run.  That cost us a lot of momentum and almost the game," the veteran Central leader added.

Bret Hardy ended up picking up the victory for the Pounders as he pitched great at the start, only to hang on at the end with the rest of his teammates.

Hardy didn't allow a hit until Red Bank catcher Jaylon Moore beat out an infield grounder to lead off the fifth.  He was charged with all six runs on six hits while striking out a dozen and walking four.  He was also charged with a pair of balks.

Hardy also had the only run-scoring hit for the Pounders as his single in the first made the score 3-0 after Andrew McDaniel had stolen third and scored when the throw sailed into left field.

Those four runs in the third came with the help of three walks, one error, one hit batter and two hits. 

While the Lions looked down and out for most of the game, they got up off the deck in the sixth to make things interesting.

Hardy got the first out on a pop to second before Red Bank got three straight hits, including a single by Ben Brown and doubles from Will Oakes and D.J. Hale, those last two driving in Red Bank's first two runs.

Then in the seventh, Hardy again got the leadoff hitter before Reed Laney singled.  He went to second on a balk and to third when a pickoff throw bounced into center field. Brown's double to left-center drove him in with the third run.

Oakes reached on a shortstop error and Hale walked to load the bases.  That's when Hardy was replaced by Will Waters, who walked Alex Chambers to plate the fourth run before Moore's fielder's choice drove in the final two.

That's when Walker Waters came in to end the game with a strikeout on three pitches.

Red Bank coach Trey Hicks challenged his kids late in the game and they responded in a positive way.

""When you don't take advantage of early opportunities to score, it usually comes back to hurt you," he began.

"I challenged them in the fifth as the last thing we wanted to do was just lay down.  Izak Sullivan came in and pitched well.  He threw strikes and competed and he's the reason we had the chance at the end.  Walks and errors killed us early, but you can't get down 7-0 and expect to come back every time.

"I'm proud of how we battled back and we hope to build on this at their place tomorrow," Hicks added.

Lawrence Woodfin was the Red Bank starter and loser after allowing three hits and four walks in 2.2 innings.  He also hit three and was charged with all seven runs.

Sullivan, a fearless freshman, pitched the final four and a third innings and allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out five.

The Lions are now 3-8 overall and 2-3 in District 6-AA.

CENTRAL  304 000 0 -- 7 4 2

RED BANK  000 002 4 -- 6 6 5

Hardy, Will Waters (7), Walker Waters (7) and Lowe; Woodfin, Sullivan (3) and Moore.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@Comcast.net)

Red Bank catcher Jaylen Moore beats the throw to Central shortstop Joseph Clark as second baseman Walker Waters backs up the play.
Red Bank catcher Jaylen Moore beats the throw to Central shortstop Joseph Clark as second baseman Walker Waters backs up the play.
photo by Dennis Norwood
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