By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
April 9, 2004
Northeast Lauderdale used a double play in the top of the seventh inning to sneak away with a 6-5 Region 5-4A win over Mendenhall on Thursday night.
The Trojans jumped out to a 5-0 lead but had to depend on some good defense in the final inning to secure the win.
"It was 6-4 bases loaded and nobody out and all we were playing for was the out," said NEL head coach Steve Nelson. "We were very fortunate to turn the double play and that helped even though the tying run was at third. The defense played well but our offense was a little suspect."
The Trojans jumped on Mendenhall in the first inning and scored three runs to take an early 3-0 lead.
Jason Pritchett doubled to start the inning and Cory Chance walked. After a walk to Chad Brunson, Pritchett scored on a wild pitch. Chance also scored on a wild pitch to make the score 2-0.
Mark Snyder brought in the other run for Northeast with a single to make the score 3-0 after the first inning.
Northeast added a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. Brunson reached base on a bunt and Nathan Peden walked. Snyder followed with a double to bring in two runs to make the score 5-0.
The visiting Tigers came up with good execution to get Snyder out at home on a double steal and escaped the third inning without giving up another run.
Mendenhall finally got on the board in the top of the fourth inning with a solo home run by Brent Warren to make it 5-1.
The Tigers continued to fight back with two runs in the fifth inning. After a hit batter and a walk, Jordan Toney delivered a big two-run double with two outs to cut the Trojan lead to 5-3.
Northeast was able to add a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Pritchett walked and moved to second on a throwing error by the pitcher on a pick off attempt.
He moved to third on a groundout by Chance and scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-3.
The insurance run was very important to Northeast as Mendenhall scored two runs in the top of the seventh.
"That ended up begin an important run in the bottom of the sixth," Nelson said. "We manufactured it somehow and that's the way we've being doing it all year long. That's a credit to these kids because they keep playing and playing."
Northeast hit the first two batters in the top of the seventh inning and Chance was brought in to try to close the game down.
After giving up a hit and hitting a batter to make the score 6-4, Chance got Mendenhall to hit a ground ball to second baseman Chris Oubre. Oubre and shortstop Pritchett rolled it up to give Northeast two outs with the 6-5 lead.
With the tying run on third, William Brown fielded a ground ball at third and made the good throw to secure the big division victory for Northeast.
The Trojans move to 17-4 overall for the season and 8-2 in the division.
Northeast, which has two games remaining, will hope to move closer to winning the division when it plays West Jones in a key division matchup on Tuesday night. The Mustangs also have just two losses in the division. The Trojans' final division game will be against Northeast Jones.
Northeast will play at Meridian High at 1 p.m. today and then host Madison Central in a doubleheader on Saturday.