In a rare third game of the night in church league, Westwood Church of Christ battled it out against The Believers. Even though it was the late game, these two battled for every run and it was everything the first two games were and more.
The Believers defeated Westwood Church of Christ, 19-14.
The slow start in the top of the first by Westwood did not help matters. A quick pair of outs led off the inning for Westwood. Jim Bob Powell ripped a base hit over the infield for the first hit of the game. Kyle Thompson stepped up with two outs and one aboard and smoked a shot high enough it carried over the left-centerfield fence for a two-run home run and a 2-0 lead. Cody Phifer blasted a shot though the defense for a single. The final out came on a pop-up to end the inning.
The Believers were due up in the bottom of the first and started with an out. Jeff Riddell reached first base on balls. Jared Underwood blasted a shot through a hole in the defense for a single. Jeff Cantrell dropped a well-placed hit into the gap for a double and The Believers had runs cross the plate. Back-to-back singles by Scott Harrell and Dustin Cherry brought in Cantrell and The Believers claimed the lead at 3-2. Two consecutive outs ended the momentum and the inning.
Up in the top of the second for Westwood, Mac Britton started the inning with a lead-off double. Lee Northcutt and Adam Wood both hit line-drive base hits over the infield and Westwood had tied the score at 3-3. After an out, John Ross Rasori smashed a base hit and that allowed Northcutt to cross home plate and claim the lead 4-3. Back-to-back fly-balls to centerfield ended the inning.
The Believers in the bottom of the second rolled out four straight singles by Kyle Fowler, Richard Felty, Zach Fisher, and Riddell. After the first out, Cantrell reached first base on a single. Harrell delivered a double and runners were on the move. Cherry was the last batter to reach base for The Believers and two outs followed but not before they had reclaimed the lead, 8-4.
Westwood turned up the speed in the top of the third. Westwood produced three runs off four hits. Mitchell Steiner, Powell, and Alex Walker crossed the plate in the third and fell short on locking the score. Westwood trailed 8-7.
The Believers offense cranked back up to open the bottom of the third. Fowler led the inning off with a double followed by two blistering base hits by Felty and Fisher. After the first out of the inning, Underwood and Cantrell blew through the infield with a pair of base hits. Harrell cleared the bases with a perfectly placed ball he stretched into a triple. Brandon Jefferies reached first base on balls and the two runners were left after two quick outs ended the inning, 13-7.
Westwood knew it had it work cut out in the top of the fourth and it was time to make a run at the lead. Five straight base hits for singles was not a bad way to start for Westwood. A walk and two singles followed and when the dust had settled and the final out was made it was locked at 13-13.
In the bottom half of the fourth and the score tied The Believers went back to work. A pair of singles and a pair of doubles were a nice way to start the inning. Three more single were ripped through the infield after the first out was made. In all a total of six more runs crossed the plate and The Believers led 19-13.
It was crunch time and the top of the fifth for the first time in the game Westwood went three up, three down and the score remained 19-13.
Powell refused to quit in the top of the seventh and he started the inning off with a double. A strikeout and a long fly ball advanced Powell over to third base but gave Westwood two outs with a man on third. Walker reached second base and Powell scored to make it a 19-14 game. A deep fly ball to leftfield ended the Westwood hopes of a comeback.
The Believers had just enough in the tank to outlast Westwood Church of Christ by a final score of 19-14 on Thursday evening.
Westwood players don't stop Believers
