Wilson Derails HiToms on Wild Walk-Off

WILSON, N.C. – For the second straight year, the High Point-Thomasville HiToms and Wilson Tobs’ “Train Game” was a thriller Thursday as Wilson walked off to a 5-4 win.

Wilson used three innings to score four unanswered runs courtesy of RBI hits from Matthew Parrish, Kenny Hostrander, Doug Teegarden, and Drew Cole while starting pitcher John Valek kept the HiToms hitless through five innings. The HiToms notched a hit in the sixth of the bat of Joey Havrilak (rs jr., Akron) but he was stranded.

High Point-Thomasville battled back in the top of the eighth, though. After Ryan Hodge (jr., Gardner-Webb) led off the frame with a double. Two batters later, Des Roberts (rs jr., UNC-Charlotte) drove him in with a RBI single to put the HiToms on the board trailing 4-1. A walk, an error, and a fielder’s choice loaded the bases with two out for Josh Ingram (jr., Central Oklahoma) who hit a grounder to second that was thrown away and allowed two runners to score narrowing the gap to one. Trip Dunn (rs jr., Catawba Valley CC) followed with a misplayed grounder to third that scored the tying run knotting the game at four apiece.

In the bottom of the ninth with the score tied, HiToms reliever Eric Sharff (fr., Delaware State – 1-2) plunked the first two batters of the inning. Then after a sac bunt and intentional walk loaded the bases, HiToms closer Laetten Galbraith (rs jr., Louisana Tech) threw a wild pitch to end the ballgame.

The HiToms return home to Finch Field Friday to host the Martinsville Mustangs on Farm2Field Night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:00 P.M.