Mustangs take down Rockets; sweep season series
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — Behind one stellar inning where Lynchburg-Clay scored five runs, the fate of the game was sealed as the Mustangs held on for a 9-5 win over Southern Hills League rival West Union, Wednesday at LCHS.
At times, the Mustangs had their struggles with missed catches in the field but put together a two-inning stretch where they scored a combined eight runs for their third win of the season.
"I just don't know where to go after this," LC head coach Garyn Waits said. "We had eight looking strikeouts tonight, and if we show up to games like we did tonight, we are likely to get beat."
In the third, LC put three runs on the board after trailing 5-0, with Zach Pingleton, Chaz Lanier and Wes Pierson all crossing home plate.
LC has swept the season series with West Union, defeating the Dragons 12-2 at WUHS last week.
The big fourth inning started off with Pingleton forcing a walk, followed by a base hit by Lanier. Lanier was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Pierson scored Pingleton with a one-out single to left field. Lanier scored on an error, and Pierson scored on a wild pitch.
Then came the five-run fourth inning, where the Mustangs took the lead for good.
Gage Waits singled to lead off the inning, followed by a walk by Pingleton. Lanier reached first on a bunt single up, and Dallas Puckett knocked in two runs with a double to left field.
Pierson continued the inning by taking first after being hit by a pitch, and two more runs crossed the plate on a double to centerfield by Austin Fawley. Fawley finished 2-for-4.
All five runs by LC in the fifth scored with one out.
LC (3-0, 3-3) tacked on one final run in the sixth inning with Colin Creek scoring on a wild pitch with two outs. Creek reached the bases with a triple hit to right field.
Waits earned the win for the Mustangs, making his first varsity start on the mound. The left-hander pitched four innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits, one walk and one hit batter.
Waits, a freshman, struck out three.
"The whole thing was this was Gage's first start … he's a freshman, and he was nervous," Garyn Waits said. "Of their five runs, only two were earned, so when we have a freshman on the mound, we can't make mistakes in the field like we did.
"We have the potential to be a good team, we just need to show up and be ready to play baseball."
Ryan Doss returned to the mound after suffering a calf injury in the season opener. Doss, a senior right-handed pitcher, finished with four strikeouts, striking out the side in the sixth inning. Doss allowed no hits in his two innings on the mound with all hits out ending via strikeout or ground outs to the third baseman.
"Our one positive was Ryan Doss returning to the lineup," Waits said. "He has so much confidence when he steps on the mound, and you could see that (Wednesday)."
All of the Dragons' runs, who are 0-4 overall this season, came in the third inning. In the inning, they had three hits, and LC committed four errors, as just two runs were earned.
Scoring runs for WU in the third were Tyler McCoy, Brandon Myers, Brett Grooms, Robbie Pell and Austin Kingsolver.
West Union threatened in the fourth inning by loading the bases with two outs, but Waits worked his way out of the jam, forcing a fly ball to centerfield for the out.
LC is scheduled to host Ripley on Thursday at 5 p.m. On Friday. LC will take on Fayetteville.
GAME NOTES: The Mustangs didn't have a base hit in the first two innings … LC left eight runners on base … LC had three extra base hits … Puckett and Fawley each had two RBIs … WU tried to steal third base with one out in the seventh inning, but Creek threw the runner out at third with the tag applied by Colt West … LC struck out eight times on a called third strike.[[In-content Ad]]
At times, the Mustangs had their struggles with missed catches in the field but put together a two-inning stretch where they scored a combined eight runs for their third win of the season.
"I just don't know where to go after this," LC head coach Garyn Waits said. "We had eight looking strikeouts tonight, and if we show up to games like we did tonight, we are likely to get beat."
In the third, LC put three runs on the board after trailing 5-0, with Zach Pingleton, Chaz Lanier and Wes Pierson all crossing home plate.
LC has swept the season series with West Union, defeating the Dragons 12-2 at WUHS last week.
The big fourth inning started off with Pingleton forcing a walk, followed by a base hit by Lanier. Lanier was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Pierson scored Pingleton with a one-out single to left field. Lanier scored on an error, and Pierson scored on a wild pitch.
Then came the five-run fourth inning, where the Mustangs took the lead for good.
Gage Waits singled to lead off the inning, followed by a walk by Pingleton. Lanier reached first on a bunt single up, and Dallas Puckett knocked in two runs with a double to left field.
Pierson continued the inning by taking first after being hit by a pitch, and two more runs crossed the plate on a double to centerfield by Austin Fawley. Fawley finished 2-for-4.
All five runs by LC in the fifth scored with one out.
LC (3-0, 3-3) tacked on one final run in the sixth inning with Colin Creek scoring on a wild pitch with two outs. Creek reached the bases with a triple hit to right field.
Waits earned the win for the Mustangs, making his first varsity start on the mound. The left-hander pitched four innings, allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits, one walk and one hit batter.
Waits, a freshman, struck out three.
"The whole thing was this was Gage's first start … he's a freshman, and he was nervous," Garyn Waits said. "Of their five runs, only two were earned, so when we have a freshman on the mound, we can't make mistakes in the field like we did.
"We have the potential to be a good team, we just need to show up and be ready to play baseball."
Ryan Doss returned to the mound after suffering a calf injury in the season opener. Doss, a senior right-handed pitcher, finished with four strikeouts, striking out the side in the sixth inning. Doss allowed no hits in his two innings on the mound with all hits out ending via strikeout or ground outs to the third baseman.
"Our one positive was Ryan Doss returning to the lineup," Waits said. "He has so much confidence when he steps on the mound, and you could see that (Wednesday)."
All of the Dragons' runs, who are 0-4 overall this season, came in the third inning. In the inning, they had three hits, and LC committed four errors, as just two runs were earned.
Scoring runs for WU in the third were Tyler McCoy, Brandon Myers, Brett Grooms, Robbie Pell and Austin Kingsolver.
West Union threatened in the fourth inning by loading the bases with two outs, but Waits worked his way out of the jam, forcing a fly ball to centerfield for the out.
LC is scheduled to host Ripley on Thursday at 5 p.m. On Friday. LC will take on Fayetteville.
GAME NOTES: The Mustangs didn't have a base hit in the first two innings … LC left eight runners on base … LC had three extra base hits … Puckett and Fawley each had two RBIs … WU tried to steal third base with one out in the seventh inning, but Creek threw the runner out at third with the tag applied by Colt West … LC struck out eight times on a called third strike.[[In-content Ad]]