4-run 7th-inning rally leads Whiteoak to comeback win over Fairfield
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — There was no quit in the Whiteoak Wildcats on Thursday against their Highland County and Southern Hills Athletic Conference counterpart the Fairfield Lions. Trailing by one run and being shut out for six innings, the top of the seventh saw WHS break out for four runs and eventually gain the 4-1 victory.
The Wildcat earned the win, but it wasn’t easy, as they struck out for the first out of the inning, but followed with a single hit to left field from Kaden Moon-Stone. Moon-Stone went to second base off a ground ball hit by Luken Roades, resulting in an error, and keeping the ’Cats alive with runners on first and second.
WHS loaded the bases with a base hit from Connor Butler. The game was tied with a 1-1 score with a balk by the Lions, allowing Moon-Stone to score from third base. The game continued with a sacrifice fly by Carson Emery to right field, scoring Roades from third base and putting the Wildcats in the lead for the first time in the game.
Following a pitching change, there was a walk on a 3-2 count forced by Nate Price, and in the ensuing at-bat, Butler took third on a wild pitch and Price went to second base. With two strikes, Ian Griffith hit a ground ball to centerfield, scoring both Price and Butler, giving Whiteoak their 4-1 lead.
The defense of Wildcats came through big in the bottom of the seventh as the Lions had Landry Hattan lead off with a single. He was eventually out at second as Whiteoak’s defense had a 4-6-3 double play as second baseman Eli Roberts fielded the ball with an excellent stop, throwing to shortstop Roades, who threw the ball to first baseman Jacen Applegate for two outs.
The game ended with Whiteoak pitcher Butler forcing a groundout to second base for the final out of the conference game.
“Defensively, Fairfield led off with that single, and that was big for them. It was good after that to see our kids come back with a big double play, with Eli making a heck of a pickup on it, and Luken turning it very nicely,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “We have athletes in the infield, and we have athletes in the outfield, and we pride ourselves on our defense.
“That was probably our fifth or sixth double play of the year.”
The Lions scored their lone run of the game on Thursday with it crossing home plate in the bottom of the first inning, taking the 1-0 advantage through six innings.
Fairfield’s path to that run began with Jacob Morgan hitting a line drive single to centerfield to lead off the game. From there, Noah Allering bunted and reached first base on an error, moving Morgan to second base.
After the first out was recorded via strikeout, Morgan took third on a passed ball, and Allering moved over to second base. FHS had a second out on another strikeout, but with two outs, Hunter Burns hit a ground ball single to centerfield to score Morgan.
The Lions finished with six hits and had two errors. Burns led FHS with a 2-for-3 day at the plate with one RBI, while the other five hits were off the bats of Morgan, Miller, Landry Hattan and Dow Moon.
“Any time you play anyone in the SHAC, it is always going to be tough, and Whiteoak especially. Coach Veidt does a super job,” FHS head coach Kyle Zimmerman said. “We were sitting where we wanted to be, and one element of our game that had been pretty much spot on all year had a little hiccup.”
For the Wildcats, Butler finished 2-for-3 with one run and one walk. Also with hits for the Wildcats were Price, Griffith, Landon Barnett and Moon-Stone. Griffith added two RBI, while Emery had one RBI for the game. WHS also forced five walks, as those were from Butler, Emery, Price, Griffith and Applegate. Barnett and Price each hit a double for WHS in the SHAC win.
“I was proud of our guys offensively too tonight,” Veidt said. “I told them to focus on what you can control, and all you can control is the next pitch. We got down early against a good team, and we had some shots at times and things didn’t fall our way.
“Our guys kept battling, and we got the pitcher’s pitch count up and then we got some clutch hits and things worked out for us. Carson’s sacrifice fly was huge as well, and Carson is our centerfielder and he made some nice plays there as well.”
Butler was the winning pitcher, as he went all seven innings, allowing one unearned run on six hits and no walks. Butler also totaled six strikeouts on 87 pitches.
Morgan was charged with the loss for Fairfield, as he went 6.1 innings, allowing three unearned runs on five hits and four walks. Morgan struck eight batters on 108 pitches. Allering threw 0.2 innings of relief, where he allowed one earned run on one hits and one walk. Allering finished with one strikeout on 20 pitches.
“Jake did a fantastic job, and Hunter Burns did a great job behind the plate and worked hard,” Zimmerman said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t make the plays to win the ballgame, and (Whiteoak) did.”
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The Wildcat earned the win, but it wasn’t easy, as they struck out for the first out of the inning, but followed with a single hit to left field from Kaden Moon-Stone. Moon-Stone went to second base off a ground ball hit by Luken Roades, resulting in an error, and keeping the ’Cats alive with runners on first and second.
WHS loaded the bases with a base hit from Connor Butler. The game was tied with a 1-1 score with a balk by the Lions, allowing Moon-Stone to score from third base. The game continued with a sacrifice fly by Carson Emery to right field, scoring Roades from third base and putting the Wildcats in the lead for the first time in the game.
Following a pitching change, there was a walk on a 3-2 count forced by Nate Price, and in the ensuing at-bat, Butler took third on a wild pitch and Price went to second base. With two strikes, Ian Griffith hit a ground ball to centerfield, scoring both Price and Butler, giving Whiteoak their 4-1 lead.
The defense of Wildcats came through big in the bottom of the seventh as the Lions had Landry Hattan lead off with a single. He was eventually out at second as Whiteoak’s defense had a 4-6-3 double play as second baseman Eli Roberts fielded the ball with an excellent stop, throwing to shortstop Roades, who threw the ball to first baseman Jacen Applegate for two outs.
The game ended with Whiteoak pitcher Butler forcing a groundout to second base for the final out of the conference game.
“Defensively, Fairfield led off with that single, and that was big for them. It was good after that to see our kids come back with a big double play, with Eli making a heck of a pickup on it, and Luken turning it very nicely,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “We have athletes in the infield, and we have athletes in the outfield, and we pride ourselves on our defense.
“That was probably our fifth or sixth double play of the year.”
The Lions scored their lone run of the game on Thursday with it crossing home plate in the bottom of the first inning, taking the 1-0 advantage through six innings.
Fairfield’s path to that run began with Jacob Morgan hitting a line drive single to centerfield to lead off the game. From there, Noah Allering bunted and reached first base on an error, moving Morgan to second base.
After the first out was recorded via strikeout, Morgan took third on a passed ball, and Allering moved over to second base. FHS had a second out on another strikeout, but with two outs, Hunter Burns hit a ground ball single to centerfield to score Morgan.
The Lions finished with six hits and had two errors. Burns led FHS with a 2-for-3 day at the plate with one RBI, while the other five hits were off the bats of Morgan, Miller, Landry Hattan and Dow Moon.
“Any time you play anyone in the SHAC, it is always going to be tough, and Whiteoak especially. Coach Veidt does a super job,” FHS head coach Kyle Zimmerman said. “We were sitting where we wanted to be, and one element of our game that had been pretty much spot on all year had a little hiccup.”
For the Wildcats, Butler finished 2-for-3 with one run and one walk. Also with hits for the Wildcats were Price, Griffith, Landon Barnett and Moon-Stone. Griffith added two RBI, while Emery had one RBI for the game. WHS also forced five walks, as those were from Butler, Emery, Price, Griffith and Applegate. Barnett and Price each hit a double for WHS in the SHAC win.
“I was proud of our guys offensively too tonight,” Veidt said. “I told them to focus on what you can control, and all you can control is the next pitch. We got down early against a good team, and we had some shots at times and things didn’t fall our way.
“Our guys kept battling, and we got the pitcher’s pitch count up and then we got some clutch hits and things worked out for us. Carson’s sacrifice fly was huge as well, and Carson is our centerfielder and he made some nice plays there as well.”
Butler was the winning pitcher, as he went all seven innings, allowing one unearned run on six hits and no walks. Butler also totaled six strikeouts on 87 pitches.
Morgan was charged with the loss for Fairfield, as he went 6.1 innings, allowing three unearned runs on five hits and four walks. Morgan struck eight batters on 108 pitches. Allering threw 0.2 innings of relief, where he allowed one earned run on one hits and one walk. Allering finished with one strikeout on 20 pitches.
“Jake did a fantastic job, and Hunter Burns did a great job behind the plate and worked hard,” Zimmerman said. “At the end of the day, we didn’t make the plays to win the ballgame, and (Whiteoak) did.”
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