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PM Baseball Team Avenges Earlier Loss To Wildcats
The Parry McCluer High School baseball team cruised to a 16-0 road win in five innings over local rival Rockbridge County last Wednesday evening in Lexington.
With the win, the Fighting Blues (12-5) avenged an 18-3 home loss to the Wildcats (413) on April 1.
In the rematch, the Wildcats fell behind early in the first inning to three first-inning doubles from the bats of Braedyn Houck, Tanner Coleman and Jase Barger, along with an RBI-single from Brayden Holdren. The Blues led 3-0 after the first inning.
Things got worse for the Wildcats in the second when Coleman hit a grand slam to extend PM’s lead to 7-0. Peyton Ramsey added to the score in the top of the third with a solo home run to deep left field. In the fourth, Holdren put the game out of reach with a triple, bringing in three runs to extend PM’s lead to 12-0. PM led 13-0 after the fourth and added three more runs in the fifth, and the game ended early due to the 10-run mercy rule.
Pleased with the win, PM head coach Bryan Loy said, “During the year, you sometimes have to pick certain games as priority to help you reach your goal, and we were able to do that and set ourselves up for the playoffs. Ending the regular season with a game like this is just a bonus.”
“It was good to get the bats going early and take the early lead,” he noted. “Adding to the lead with the grand slam by Tanner Coleman and another homer by Peyton Ramsey was big to keep momentum on our side.”
The Blues racked up 12 hits, while RC had four. Coleman led PM, going 3-of-3 with five RBIs and a walk, and he scored four runs. Barger had three hits, three runs and one RBI. The Fighting Blues finished the day with a total of 11 RBIs.
Recording one hit each for the Wildcats were Eli Sorrells, Drew Potter, Brady Majors and Bradi Ziegler.
On the mound, Houck pitched all five innings, striking out five and allowing four hits and one walk.
RC used three pitchers: Sean Martino, Brady Majors and Zac Majors.
Reflecting on a strong regular season, Loy said, “Our goal all year was to first win the district and clinch a one seed in the region, and our guys were able to do that.”
“We will enjoy this win for 30 minutes and then get back to work,” added Loy. “I think our bats are coming alive at the right time and hope we can keep momentum rolling through the playoffs, one game at a time.”
The Blues were scheduled to play host for a Pioneer District quarterfinal game on Monday. For district tournament updates, visit www.thenews-gazette.com.
AT LEFT, PM junior Peyton Ramsey hits a home run to left field in the third inning. ABOVE, As he approaches home plate, Ramsey is greeted by his teammates to celebrate his homer. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photos)
AT NEAR RIGHT, PM junior Jase Barger slides across home plate as RC senior catcher Thomas Armstrong leaps to catch the ball. Barger had three hits and scored three runs.AT FAR UPPER RIGHT, PM senior catcher Aaron Pruett shakes hands with RC junior Clay Irvine. AT FAR LOWER RIGHT, Fighting Blue junior Braedyn Houck takes a swing. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photos)
