Earlier in the evening on Thursday it looked like the church league games might not play as a strong line of heavy rain moved through. The rain moved out in plenty of time for the fields to dry slightly and it was game on as usual.
The men of First Baptist versus the men of Friendship The Baptist Church were on tap for the second game. The game came down to base hits and who made the fewest mistakes. In the closest game of the evening, First Baptist edged Friendship, 16-13.
First Baptist was due up in the top of the first. Brett Simmons led the inning off with a huge shot to the corner that landed him on second. After a fly ball for the first out, Corey Warden loaded up and sent a pitch deep over the defenders for a stand-up triple. Ethan Bundy and Matt Panter hit balls through the defense for a pair of base hits. With two outs and two on, First Baptist grounded into a force out at third to end the inning. First Baptist led 2-0.
Friendship went to work at the plate in the bottom of the first. Joey Vincent reached first base with a single. Corey J. Richardson put the ball on the ground right at second base and the force was made at second for the first out. The next two batters hit the ball right at the First Baptist second basemen and he collected all three outs of the first inning.
First Baptist started the top of the second with an out. After the lead-off out, three consecutive singles were hit and John Upchurch was caught at second base in a force play for the second out. Chris Dobbins, Michael Thrower remained on base when Andy Southard reached first base on balls. With bases loaded Simmons connected on his second double in two innings. Caleb Northcutt fired a shot deep into the gap for a second consecutive double of the inning. Warden walked his way down to first base just before the final out. First Baptist extended its lead to 6-0.
The Friendship offense showed up in the bottom of the second. Jeremy Steakley started the hitting with a rocket up the middle for a single. Jeremy Richardson sent a pitch into the gap for a double. Chase Hillis followed with a solid hit over the infield for a single. Steakley and Jeremy Richardson crossed the plate and Friendship trailed 6-2. Daniel McKinney smashed a double into the gap, Hillis gets the green light and attempted to advance to third from first. Hillis was gunned down by the outfielder for the first out. Michael Jones hit a line-drive between the defenders for a double.
Friendship blew out three straight singles by Joey Vincent, Corey J. Richardson, and Jeremy Richardson. The final out was made but not before Friendship locked the score at 6-6.
First Baptist went back to the plate in the top of the third after the explosive inning by Friendship. Bundy hit a shot through the defense for a single and he would be left stranded at first. First Baptist popped up three straight fly balls and the score remained 6-6.
In the bottom of the third, Friendship claimed the lead started by a solid rip through the infield by Steakley. Jeremy Richardson with his second double of the game drove in the run to take the lead at 7-6. Jeremy Richardson to score in between three straight ground balls for outs and Friendship led 8-6 when the final out was made.
In the top of the fourth, First Baptist was at the bottom half of the lineup. Three straight singles started the inning. Southard blasted a deep shot over the defense for a double and brought in two more runs. The score was locked again at 8-8. The next three batters served up doubles for First Baptist and after the third out was made Fist Baptist had reclaimed the lead at 11-8.
The fourth inning lacked a little to be desired by Friendship. A single by Corey Sullivan followed by another deep blast by Jones allowed another run across the scoreboard at 11-9. Three consecutive outs ended the momentum started by Friendship.
The top of the fifth inning for First Baptist was its least productive inning. The side was retired in order one, two, three to make short work for the defense and the score remained 11-9.
The bottom of the fifth inning was also not much better for Friendship. Marty Richardson and Jeremy Richardson each had base hits through the defense. Nothing more and the two were left on base and Friendship trailed 11-9.
First Baptist set out on a mission to try and cement the win in the top of the sixth and after a lead-off out, two singles and a double by Dobbins, Thrower, and Southard kept runners on the move and allowed runs to go on the scoreboard. On a rare play, the batter hit a line-drive back up the middle and the ball went off the pitchers foot straight into the shortstop’s glove for the second out. Northcutt crushed a pitch in between the outfielders for the second double of the game. Warden singled to reach first base and First Baptist led 15-9 just before the final out.
Friendship had some ground to make up in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately it would not happen in the bottom of the seventh. It was a three-up, three-down inning for Friendship and the score remained 15-9.
In its final trip to the plate, First Baptist held a six-run lead. Two singles is all First Baptist would get in the top of the seventh but did manage to get Bundy across one more time before the third out and First Baptist led 16-9.
Down to its final three outs and now down seven runs, Vincent sent a pitch over the fence for a solo home run and it was 16-10. Corey J. Richardson doubled into the gap. Marty Richardson singled through the infield for a single. Friendship now has two outs and one with Jeremy Richardson pounding out another base hit and the score is 16-12. Back-to-back doubles scored Jeremy Richardson for a score of 16-13. With two on still and two outs, a high pop-up to shortstop ended the game.
In a battle of base hits, First Baptist edged Friendship The Baptist Church by a final score of 16-13 on Thursday evening.