Spartans slip by Pioneers

By Steve Behr
 
WINSTON-SALEM — It took an outstanding defensive play for Watauga to extend its game with Mount Tabor one extra inning. The Pioneers could not do it again a second time and lost 11-10 to the Spartans Tuesday night.

Mount Tabor got an RBI single from No. 9 hitter Turner Simpson with two outs, which drove in Jake Reynolds to beat the Pioneers. Simpson’s hit capped a comeback that saw Watauga take an 8-3 lead, but finally lose the lead for good when Reynolds crossed home plate in the eighth.

Even with the loss, Watauga coach Pete Hardee saw a lot of things that he liked.

“I’m proud of our guys,” Hardee said. “They played hard tonight and we had some good things happen to some people who haven’t been playing much lately. It was a good game all the way around.”

Simpson was a big problem for the Pioneers (8-3). His two-run double in the second inning, combined with an RBI single by Reynolds, gave the Spartans a 3-2 lead. Simpson, who had four RBIs Tuesday, cracked a solo home run in the Spartans’ four-run fifth inning, which also included a three-run homer by Tanner Vogler one batter before Simpson.

Mount Tabor (4-3) looked like it would win the game in the bottom of the seventh when Mat Batts tried to score from second base on an infield single by Bradley Morton, who hit the ball to Watauga’s Chris Shelton in front of second base. Shelton threw the ball to first base too late to get Morton, but Watauga first baseman Kyle Miller’s throw home to catcher Adam Church was just in time to get Batts for the third out of the inning.

The Pioneers used several pitchers to try to slow down Mount Tabor’s offense. Will Littlejohn started before giving way to Mitch Minford in the third inning. Austin Story replaced Minford and Trey Lowder went in for Minford in the fifth inning, before Jake Wallace took over in the sixth and finished the game.

“It was good to get them into the game and see what they could do,” Hardee said. “I saw some good things out of some of them and some not so good out of others, but that’s the way it goes. We’ll learn from this game and move on.”

Wallace, still nursing a sore ankle, had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. He hit a two-run single in the second inning, an RBI double in the third and scored one of the six runs Watauga pushed across the plate in the third inning.

Watauga belted out 11 hits, including three by Phil Gordon and two each from Shelton and Wallace.

“He swung the bat extremely well,” Hardee said of Wallace. “He threw the ball well and he played good defense. It was good to have him healthy again.”

Wallace’s single gave the Pioneers a 2-0, second-inning lead, though Mount Tabor answered with three runs to take a 3-2 lead for its starting pitcher, Simpson, who made his first start of the season.

Watauga came back with a six-run third inning, keyed by Wallace’s double and an infield hit by Gordon that drove in Austin Story (running for Church). Wallace’s double drove in Gordon, and Shelton added an RBI single in the inning.

Wallace drove in another run in the fifth with a fielder’s choice and Gordon drove in a run in the sixth with a single.

The Pioneers can turn their attention to South Caldwell, a team Watauga beat 12-6 in Boone earlier this season. South Caldwell beat Alexander Central 8-5 Tuesday to move into a first-place tie with Watauga.

“We’ve got two good days of practice to get in to get ready,” Hardee said.

Watauga JVs 6, Mount Tabor 4
WINSTON-SALEM — Watauga took an early 3-0 lead and held on to beat Mount Tabor Tuesday night. The Pioneers rapped out eight hits, including a 3-for-3 performance from Josh Roberts, who had two singles and a double. Matt Proffitt belted a two-run home run, his first homer of the season, and Aaron Watson had a double and two RBIs.

Clint Trivette also had a double for the Pioneers.

Ryan Turner went five innings on the mound for the Pioneers, allowing three runs, all earned, on six hits. He struck out nine and did not walk any batters.

Jake Watts finished the game on the mound, allowing one run on four hits and striking out one in picking up his first save of the season.

Mount Tabor 11, Watauga 10
Watauga 026 011 00 — 10 11 1
Mount Tabor 032 041 01 — 11 12 6
Littlejohn, Minford (3), Story (5), Lowder (5), Wallace (6) and Church. Simpson, Hickman (3) and Vogler. W—Hickman (1-0), L—Wallace (0-2). LOB—Watauga 10, Mount Tabor 11. 2B—Watauga, Shelton, Wallace; Mount Tabor, Kahler, Morton, Simpson. HR—Mount Tabor, Batts, Vogler, Simpson. SH—Mount Tabor, Wrege. SB—Mount tabor, Flachofsky, Reynolds. CS—Watauga, Miller. HBP—Watauga, Lowder, Martin; Mount Tabor, Lawson, Reynolds, Vogler. DP—Watauga 1, Mount Tabor 1.