HiToms Rally Late Over Owls

FOREST CITY, N.C. – For the second straight night, the High Point-Thomasville HiToms rallied in the late innings Saturday knocking off the Forest City Owls 6-5.

Forest City (23-20, 6-9) jumped out in the bottom of the first inning when Conor Clancey smacked a three-run homer to left field giving the Owls a 3-0 lead. They added two runs in the fifth thanks to a throwing error and subsequent RBI sacrifice fly to push the lead out to five.

Even though Owls starting pitcher Orlando Razo shut down the HiToms (18-24, 6-8) through the first six innings, they started to creep back in the top of the seventh. With runners on second and third, left fielder Logan Taylor (fr., Louisville) singled to right field to put the HiToms on the board. One batter later with runners on the corners, the HiToms executed a double steal to cut the deficit to three, 5-2. In the top of eighth, Cody Brittain (so., USC Upstate) ripped a RBI single to right bringing High Point-Thomasville within two.

In the ninth inning trailing 5-3, the HiToms took over. With runners on second and third, Austin Crutcher (jr., Bellarmine) drilled the game-tying double to left. He moved to third and scored the eventual game-winning run on a wild pitch.

Justin Morrison (jr., Guilford – 1-0) earned the win in relief pitching a scoreless eighth inning while Laetten Galbraith (jr., Louisiana Tech) slammed the door in the ninth for his fifth save of the season.

The HiToms will be back at Finch Field Sunday hosting the reigning CPL champion Peninsula Pilots. First pitch is scheduled for 5 P.M.