HiToms slug their way to 21-9 win over Gastonia
Courtesy of Daniel Frey with HiToms Baseball
High Point-Thomasville, N.C. – After collecting only four hits the night before, the High Point-Thomasville HiToms broke out for 21 runs on 23 hits in their Coastal Plain League opener.
Eight HiToms recorded multiple hits and drove in RBI’s with all nine batters with at least one base knock.
The HiToms(1-1) didn’t get off to the best start when starting pitcher Jacob Norman let up a 2-RBI single off of the bat of Gastonia’s Harris Yett.
Two more runs came across in the top of the second to put the Grizzlies ahead 4-1.
Trailing 4-3 heading into the bottom of the third is when the HiToms offense exploded. Eight runs on seven hits highlighted by a grand slam from first baseman Daniel Sullivan who just reported to play today.
Even with an 11-3 lead, the HiToms didn’t let up in the fourth inning tacking on two more runs but the final blow to the Grizzlies came in the bottom of the fifth. After a two-up, two-down start to the inning by Gastonia reliever Alec Bivins, a walk by Wyatt Cross extended the inning. With two outs, the HiToms drove in seven runs on six hits including a 2 RBI single by Sullivan bringing his total to 6 runs batted in. A 20-spot was on the board and the HiToms would cruise the rest of the way.
Gastonia would get a few runs back led by two solo homers by Matt Simmons in the later innings but it wasn’t enough as the HiToms earn win number one of the CPL season 21-9.
The winning pitcher was Jacob Norman (1-0) with the loss saddled to Kevin Kopps (0-1) who only lasted 2 1/3 innings. Norman went five innings, letting up four hits, striking out two batters and surrendering four runs, three of which were earned. Kael Jones went the rest of the way for HPT going four innings striking out three hitters and letting up 5 runs over four hits, with four of them coming in the ninth inning.
It’s a quick turnaround between the two teams as they face off again tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Gastonia.