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The Parry McCluer High School baseball team split a pair of Pioneer District road games last week, falling 9-2 at Highland County last Monday before cruising to a 19-3 win in five innings at Eastern Montgomery on Thursday.
Against Highland, the Fighting Blues (5-2 overall, 3-2 district) struggled with their hitting, recording just two hits, while the Rams racked up 11 hits.
“Credit to Highland, they put the ball in play, and we couldn’t seem to get the key hits when we needed them,” said PM head coach Bryan Loy. “Our guys played hard, but sometimes baseball hands you days like we had.”
Highland, which ended the week at 2-2 overall and 1-0 in the district, broke away from a 1-1 tie by scoring two runs in the third and adding six runs in the fourth while holding the Blues to one run in the fourth.
The Blues took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Aaron Pruett scored on an infield grounder by Maison Hamilton. The Rams answered back in the top of the first when John Wagner doubled on a fly ball to right field to drive in Michael Campbell.
Highland added two more runs on a home run to center field by Colton Williams that brought home Campbell to give the Rams a 3-1 lead.
PM responded with a run in the top of the fourth on a groundout by Evan Cook that drove in Hamilton, cutting Highland’s lead to 3-2.
In their big fourth inning, the Rams started their scoring surge when Elijah Good singled on a fly ball to center field to bring home Zachary Armstrong. Evan Kimble then scored on a PM error, and Good stole home. Williams doubled on a line drive to left field to bring in Campbell and Wagner. Ethan Moore then doubled on a line drive to center field to bring home Williams for the final run of the game, as the final three innings were scoreless.
Williams led Highland with three hits and four RBIs, while Campbell and Wagner each registered two hits. Recording one hit each for the Blues were Tanner Coleman and Brayden Conley.
Wagner pitched a complete game for the Rams to earn the win, striking out eight and allowing two hits, two walks and two unearned runs. Tyler Wade pitched the first 3.2 innings for PM, striking out five and surrendering seven hits, two walks and seven earned runs. In the final 2.1 innings, Peyton Ramsey struck out four and allowed four hits, four walks and two earned runs.
Highland committed three errors, while the Blues had two.
PM 19, EM 3
The Blues bounced back with a 19-3 win at Eastern Montgomery on Thursday.
Against the Mustangs (2-5, 2-2), PM racked up 16 hits. EM had just three hits against PM sophomore Jase Barger, who pitched all five innings, striking out eight and allowing three hits, three walks and three runs (one earned). EM used three pitchers, with the Blues striking out eight times and walking five times while earning 14 of their 19 runs.
Wade led PM with four hits. Adding two hits each for the Blues were Coleman, Hamilton, Ramsey, Brayden Holdren and Braedyn Houck. Recording one hit each for EM were Caleb Jones, Austin Tate and Cam Sutphin.
Loy said the Blues had “a strong day on the mound as well as at the plate against EastMont. We ran the bases well, too, which has been an important part of our success.”
The Mustangs committed six errors, while the Blues had one.
PM got its offense going early. After Wade and Barger walked in the first inning, Houck singled on a grounder to right field to bring home Wade, and Barger scored on an error. Hamilton then singled on a fly ball to left field to drive in Houck, giving the Blues a 3-0 lead.
In the third, Barger scored when Ramsey singled on a line drive to center field, and Ramsey then scored on a passed ball. Pruett then hit a hard grounder and reached on an error, bringing home Coleman to extend PM’s lead to 6-0.
The Mustangs got their first two runs in the third. Jones singled on a line drive to center field to bring home Tyler Atkinson, and Jones then scored on a passed ball.
In the top of the fourth, Barger singled on a grounder to third base to drive in Wade, and Holdren ran home on a wild pitch. After stealing second base and advancing to third, Barger stole home to extend PM’s lead to 9-2.
The Blues erupted for 10 runs in the fourth to stretch their lead to 19-2. The scoring surge started when Coleman scored on a groundout by Cook. Wade then singled to left field to bring home Pruett and then scored on a double to center field by Holdren, who would score on a wild pitch. Barger scored on an error, and Ramsey singled to left field to drive in Houck, making it 15-2.
Coleman then doubled to left field to bring home Ramsey and Hamilton, and Pruett tripled to left field to drive in Coleman. Cook hit a hard grounder and reached on an error, bringing home Pruett for PM’s final run.
Before the game ended due to the 10-run mercy rule, EM’s Austin Tate singled on a fly ball to shortstop, bringing home Drew Smith.
PM will continue district action at home against Bath County on Thursday at 5 p.m. before playing host to rival Rockbridge County on Friday at 7 p.m., following the 5 p.m. junior varsity game between the two schools. The Blues will return to district action on Tuesday when they play at Craig County at 5 p.m.
