LaFayette rallies past Ringgold for season’s first win
If there is one thing fans have learned watching the LaFayette Ramblers play baseball so far this season, it’s not to leave before the final out is recorded.
The Orange-and-Black, who opened the season with a seventh-inning comeback against LFO before falling in extra innings on Feb. 14, had two more seventh-inning rallies this past week resulting in a narrow loss and a narrow win.
Coosa 3, LaFayette 2
The Ramblers scored once in the bottom of the seventh, but could not get the tying run home in a tough loss to the Eagles in LaFayette last Monday night.
Down 3-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, a walk and a Coosa error set the table for the Ramblers before Blake Mann plated Garrison Fults after an RBI-groundout. Then in the seventh, Nick Adams came through with a one-out double and eventually took third on a wild pitch. Mann would reach on the error as Adams came racing home and Mann would eventually take both second and third on a wild pitch. However, the Eagles would get one final strikeout to hang on for the win.
Trent Currie pitched four strong innings, but was saddled with the loss. He gave up just two hits and neither of the two runs he allowed were earned. He walked two batters and struck out one. Mann, who pitched the final three innings, gave up one unearned run on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts.
LaFayette 5, Ringgold 4
After being shut out for six innings, the Ramblers found way to scratch out five runs in the top of the seventh before holding on for the victory at Ringgold on Friday night.
LaFayette left seven runners on base through the first six innings, but drew three straight one-out walks to load the bases in the top of the seventh. The second out would follow, but Davis Richardson drew a basesloaded walk to bring in a run and Currie made it 4-3 as he laced a clutch, tworun single.
Dylan Deering was intentionally walked to reload the bases as Ringgold looked for a game-ending force out, but Zain Smith was hit by a pitch to bring in the tying run and Case Davis drew another bases-loaded walk to bring in what became the winning run after LaFayette stranded two Tiger runners in the last half-inning.
Richardson picked up the victory for the LaFayette (13). He threw six innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits. He did not allow a single walk and finished the game with 10 strikeouts. Levi Pettigrew walked one batter and struck out one in the seventh to get the save.