Another night of games in the boys 7-8 machine-pitch league featured fantastic finishes, splendid defense, strong offensive showings and competitive spirit from all the young ball players taking Hoover and Millraney Field.
Fully Loaded won the big game of the night as it defeated O’Reilly 3-1 in a battle for third place. Cowan’s Drywall and Brent’s Computers were also winners Tuesday as they beat Tennessee Credit and Hoover and Son Insurance, respectively.
Fully Loaded and O’Reilly each entered Tuesday’s contest at 4-2 this season – two games behind undefeated league leader Randall Walker Farms and a game back from Brent’s Computers. Both teams fought tooth-and-nail and flashed the leather on multiple occasions to keep the game low scoring. It wasn’t until Fully Loaded got a big run in the third and added an insurance run in the fourth that it could claim victory.
Fully Loaded took a 1-0 lead in the first inning by getting three early hits. Brody Womack led off the game with a single, then moved up on a single by Easton Denning. Devan Grayson provided the scoring single that put Fully Loaded on the scoreboard early.
O’Reilly threatened to tie in the bottom of the frame following singles by Gavin Mason and Brayan Holguin, but both runners were stranded on base.
Scoring didn’t pick up again until the top of the third. Denning and Grayson combined once again to put Fully Loaded on the board as Denning hit a one-out single and Grayson followed with a RBI single. Aiden Miller stopped the rally though when he turned an unassisted double play to end the inning.
Needing some runs to get back in the game, Mason started the top of the fourth inning for O’Reilly with a big hit. Holguin moved his teammate up with a single of his own, followed by Parker Smith finally getting the goose egg off the board with a run-scoring single.
Kobe Cagle loaded the bases with a single, but O’Reilly left three valuables runs on the bases with back-to-back strikeouts to end the fourth inning.
Fully Loaded would make sure it was the last chance for O’Reilly as the home team hit in the fourth inning until time expired. Luke Campbell was able to score in the frame and the game was called shortly after Kelvyn Ortega came up with a huge two-out single.
In Tuesday’s final game, Cowan’s Drywall improved to 3-4 this season with a 5-3 victory over Tennessee Credit.
Brodie Cowans led Cowan’s Drywall from his lead-off position with two hits and two runs scored. Ty Myers also had two hits for Cowan’s Drywall while Jaython Baker, Trace Bouldin, Noah Bain and Dawson Sullivan had one hit apiece.
Nick Simmons, Justus Majors, Christian Dunn and Dykori Moore each had hits for Tennessee Credit, which fell to 1-6.
In Tuesday’s first game, Brent’s Computers stayed in second place and improved to 5-1 by beating Hoover and Son Insurance 8-3.
Ethan Basham, Nathan Bond, Peyton Adams and Jaxsyn Patterson were all a perfect 2-for-2 in the win for Brent’s Computers. Tyler Adams, Trace Taylor, Dillon Esters and Braylen Moore added one hit each.
Sam Rivers, Arick Murphy, Talan Mullican and Connor Williams had hits in the sixth straight loss for Hoover and Son Insurance.