It wasn’t easy, but then again Winder-Barrow High School baseball coach Brian Smith didn’t expect it to be.
The Diamond Doggs ventured to Apalachee High School Monday afternoon and emerged with a 9-6 victory. The win keeps WBHS on pace for a No. 1 subregion seed with a rematch against the Wildcats today (Wednesday) and a trip to perennial powerhouse Loganville High School Friday looming.
A grand slam by Grayson Ivey in the top of the sixth inning proved to be the difference giving the Bulldoggs a 9-3 lead at the time. Drew Davis was also 3-for-4 at the plate for WBHS.
Blake Marbut earned the win going five innings allowing three runs and seven hits with one strikeout. The junior has been a consistent performer on the pitcher’s mound this spring for Smith. While the Bulldoggs had some defensive miscues, Smith was pleased overall by his team’s effort.
“We had a couple of ones that were tough plays,” the WBHS coach said. “They were some odd plays that worked in Apalachee’s favor.”
In the end, the close competitive nature of the contest did not surprise Smith.
“Apalachee played tough,” the Bulldogg mentor said. “It didn’t surprise me at all.”
It was also a day of strong performances for the host Wildcats. Clint Ashe finished 3-for-4 with two RBI while Steven Adair was 2-for-4 and drove in two runs.
Ronney Miller worked the first 5.2 innings before giving way to Tony Salvaggio.
Blake Oviedo pitched a third of an inning for WBHS after relieving Marbut in the sixth. Travis Demeritte was then called on to close out the contest.
Both teams pushed two runs across in the first inning. A ground out by Dalton Carter allowed Alex Childers to score for WBHS in the top of the first followed by an RBI single from Davis which scored Demeritte.
AHS answered in the bottom half to tie the score. Eric Morgan had a leadoff double. Steven Adair reached base on a fielder’s choice as the Bulldoggs tried to get Morgan out between second and third. Morgan would reach third safely on the play which set up a two-run double by Ashe.
WBHS scored three in the top of the third as Davis drove in Childers and Demeritte and a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Brown allowed Dalton Carter to score.
Salvaggio doubled home Ashe in the bottom of the fifth for the Wildcats but Ivey’s grandslam in the top of the sixth for the Bulldoggs proved to be too much of an obstacle for AHS to overcome.
The Wildcats did score three runs in the bottom of the sixth thanks in part to three WBHS errors. Mason Webb, who was used as a courtesy runner, scored when P.J. Klein reached on an error. Adair then drove in two runs with a single. Austin Miller, who had earlier reached base on an error, and Klein both scored on Adair’s single.
Demeritte would record all three outs by strikeout in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win for the Bulldoggs.
“We battled until the end,” said AHS coach Mike Cavey. “If we could have controlled the unearned runs it would have been a different game. It was a good game and it was not without drama. Winder is a good team.”
Bulldogg catcher Christian Hodge appeared to be injured following a play at the plate but the sophomore continued to play. Backup catcher Aaron Gonzalez walked on the field and began taking warmup throws but Hodge did not miss a pitch.
“We were initially worried about a knee injury or perhaps something being broken,” Smith said. “For him to shake it off and go back in the game says a lot about him.”
After traveling to WBHS today (Wednesday), AHS will venture to Cedar Shoals Friday and then host Morgan County Monday in a rescheduled game from earlier in the season.
“We have to continue to play hard,” Cavey said. “We didn’t give up today and that’s to our credit. I though Ronney pitched a great game. He has been consistent all year for us but he’s had some tough luck.”
