Spartans’ bats too much
Ryan Leger HENDERSON DAILYDISPATCH
Spartans’ The Kerr-Vance Academy varsity baseball team hosted conference rival Rocky Mount Academy Tuesday evening under the lights, and the Spartans (2-1) emerged with a crucial 11-5 victory after mounting a late comeback.
“We’ve been talking a lot lately about how baseball is a long game,” Spartans’ coach Todd Wilkerson said. “What happens in the first couple innings doesn’t define the game, you have to finish in the late innings and that’s what we did tonight.”
When Jabe Montgomery stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Spartans trailed Rocky Mount 5-4 with the bases loaded and one out. Kerr-Vance needed runs and needed them quickly considering it may have been their last opportunity with a runner in scoring position.
Montgomery found his pitch, swung through hard and ping. The Spartans’ crowd exploded as the line drive landed in fair territory down the left field line and Montgomery slid into third for a bases clearing, three-run triple. A few pitches later the Spartans’ lead-off man was sliding into home plate after a pass-ball, expanding their lead to 8-5.
“That was so big,” Wilkerson said. “Jabe’s been hitting the ball great, so we expect that out of him as our lead-off hitter. This is a huge conference game for us and will really give us confidence heading into the rest of the season.”
Montgomery also came through in the clutch on the mound. The junior racked up ten strikeouts, while only allowing two runs over his four innings of work, which included a one, two, three seventh inning to close out the contest. Daniel Wilkerson tossed the first three innings for the Spartans, allowing three runs and striking out five Rocky Mount batters.
“Daniel got us off to a good start, but he was a little bit under the weather tonight,” Wilkerson said. “Jabe came in and struggled in his first inning walking a lot of batters, but after that he settled in and really finished the game strong. The biggest part was we got him [Jabe Montgomery] some run support and startedhitting the ball, our offense really got going towards the end of the game.”
Spartans’ senior catcher Lane Humphries gave the ball a free ride over the fence for a solo home run in the sixth inning, which gave Kerr-Vance a little extra breathing room. Colby Wilkerson (1 RBI) got a hit in all four of his at bats, including two doubles, while Damon Stevenson (1-2, 1 RBI) and Wil Short (2-4, 1 RBI) also provided a spark to the Kerr-Vance offense.
After earning a hard-fought victory in their first 1A Carolina Independent Conference contest, the Spartans will return to action Thursday night when they travel to Jackson to face Northeast Academy in a non-conference game.
Ryan Leger HENDERSON DAILYDISPATCH
Spartans’ The Kerr-Vance Academy varsity baseball team hosted conference rival Rocky Mount Academy Tuesday evening under the lights, and the Spartans (2-1) emerged with a crucial 11-5 victory after mounting a late comeback.
“We’ve been talking a lot lately about how baseball is a long game,” Spartans’ coach Todd Wilkerson said. “What happens in the first couple innings doesn’t define the game, you have to finish in the late innings and that’s what we did tonight.”
When Jabe Montgomery stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Spartans trailed Rocky Mount 5-4 with the bases loaded and one out. Kerr-Vance needed runs and needed them quickly considering it may have been their last opportunity with a runner in scoring position.
Montgomery found his pitch, swung through hard and ping. The Spartans’ crowd exploded as the line drive landed in fair territory down the left field line and Montgomery slid into third for a bases clearing, three-run triple. A few pitches later the Spartans’ lead-off man was sliding into home plate after a pass-ball, expanding their lead to 8-5.
“That was so big,” Wilkerson said. “Jabe’s been hitting the ball great, so we expect that out of him as our lead-off hitter. This is a huge conference game for us and will really give us confidence heading into the rest of the season.”
Montgomery also came through in the clutch on the mound. The junior racked up ten strikeouts, while only allowing two runs over his four innings of work, which included a one, two, three seventh inning to close out the contest. Daniel Wilkerson tossed the first three innings for the Spartans, allowing three runs and striking out five Rocky Mount batters.
“Daniel got us off to a good start, but he was a little bit under the weather tonight,” Wilkerson said. “Jabe came in and struggled in his first inning walking a lot of batters, but after that he settled in and really finished the game strong. The biggest part was we got him [Jabe Montgomery] some run support and startedhitting the ball, our offense really got going towards the end of the game.”
Spartans’ senior catcher Lane Humphries gave the ball a free ride over the fence for a solo home run in the sixth inning, which gave Kerr-Vance a little extra breathing room. Colby Wilkerson (1 RBI) got a hit in all four of his at bats, including two doubles, while Damon Stevenson (1-2, 1 RBI) and Wil Short (2-4, 1 RBI) also provided a spark to the Kerr-Vance offense.
After earning a hard-fought victory in their first 1A Carolina Independent Conference contest, the Spartans will return to action Thursday night when they travel to Jackson to face Northeast Academy in a non-conference game.
