Spalding High's Parker Powell gets ready to swing against the Pike County Pirates Monday evening at Jaguar Field. (Photo courtesy of Steve Knight)
Spalding remains undefeated at 2-0 and it got career win No. 299 for head coach Mickey Moody. Neighboring Pike County falls to 0-3 so far.
“I wanted a double, but I am glad I got the game-winning hit,” said Skipper, a sophomore. “I’ll definitely take it.”
The game started an hour earlier to avoid any possible rainfall. No rains came, but the pitching was affected by the bitter cold wind that blew all game long.
The Jags jumped out to a 2-0 first-inning lead, but Pike cut the lead in half at 2-1 in the second. In the bottom of the third, Jags shortstop Parker Powell lined a triple to center and Anson Link then hit a sacrifice fly that Pike centerfielder Tyler Gregory caught on the run and Spalding led 3-1.
The Pirates rallied to take a 4-3 lead in the fourth, due to a bases-loaded single in the inning. Spalding tied the game at 4 on a sac fly from Skipper which scored Louis Farlow in the bottom of the fourth.
Pike regained the lead in the fifth on a run-scoring error and a home run from left fielder Chandler Brazel to give the Pirates the 6-4 lead. In the sixth, Spalding’s Jonah Riceman had an RBI single to cut the Pirates lead to 6-5. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Alec Hayes hit a blooper to right for a single. Powell Krepps walked and Farlow had an infield hit to load the bases. Chase Pruitt was then hit on the top of the helmet to bring home Hayes and tie the game at 6-all, to the delight of the home crowd.
And that led to Skipper’s heroics. He hit the second pitch he saw over the second baseman’s head for the game-winning single.
“The guys kept battling back. We didn’t pitch well because of the cold weather, but we got the win and I’m proud of the guys,” said Moody.
The Jags will try to get Moody his 300th career coaching win Wednesday against Riverdale at 6 p.m. at Jaguar Field. It will be Spalding's Region 4-AAAA opener.
(GDN Sports Intern A.J. Flanigan contributed to this story.)
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