Whiteoak opens season with 6-3 win over Fayetteville
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN – The Whiteoak Wildcats started off their 2010 season on a positive note as they used textbook base running along with timely hitting to win their season opener against the Fayetteville Rockets 6-3.
Originally scheduled to be played at Fayetteville High School, the Whiteoak home field played host to the game, but it was the Rockets who were listed as the home team on the scoreboard.
The "visiting" Wildcats didn't waste much time in the top of the first inning as they scored the first run of the game, taking the count deep on many occasions.
Ben Barnett started off with a double on a 3-2 count as he lined the ball into center field. Zach Docter followed with a 3-2 base on balls. Docter's walk was equaled with a 3-2 walk from Gage Carraher to load the bases.
Ethan Eyre batted in Barnett with a sacrifice fly to left field, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
Fayetteville tied the game at one in the bottom of the second, but Whiteoak rallied back to regain the lead in the top of the fourth with hitting and taking advantage of Fayetteville miscues.
Eyre reached base in the fourth with an lead-off single. He then stole second and took third on a wild pitch. With two outs in the inning, Eyre scored on an error by the Rockets, as Ryan Emery continued to dash to first base to keep the inning alive, allowing Eyre to score the go-ahead run.
Fayetteville tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off double and RBI single in ensuing at-bat. After a base on balls, Barnett then recorded three straight outs on the mound, including two consecutive strikeouts to end the inning.
WHS then took control in the sixth, scoring twice to take a 4-2 advantage.
Emery started the rally with an two-out single, followed with a RBI double by Wes Stratton, scoring Emery. Barnett followed with a base knock, and Docter singled in Stratton.
In the top part of the seventh, Eyre led off with a walk, followed with a steal. Eyre then took third on a balk and scored when Jesse Bradds laid down a sacrifice bunt. Luke Taggert grounded out to first to bring home Mike Carraher, who reached the bases by forcing a walk.
"Late in the game we had clutch hits, but what impressed me the most was the way we ran the bases. Getting those insurance runs in the final two innings was nice to have. The ground ball by Ryan (Emery) and bunt by Jesse (Bradds) was huge," Whiteoak head coach Chris Veidt said.
Barnett gained the win on the mound for the Wildcats. The senior hurler pitched all seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. Barnett finished with seven strikeouts.
"Ben threw 110 pitches, and he could have pitched last year for us, but he is so valuable for us," Veidt said. "It was good to see him pitch the way he did."
At the plate Barnett led WHS by finishing 2-for-4 with a double and a single. Docter, Eyre, Emery and Stratton all had hits against Fayetteville. Stratton's hit was a double.
WHS (1-0) will now play in a make-up game Wednesday, March 31 against Paint Valley at PVHS.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY INNINGS
WHS - 100 102 2 - 6 5 1
FHS - 010 100 1 - 3 6 3
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