Déjà vu as HiToms beat Mustangs in extras 7-6
Courtesy of Daniel Frey with the HiToms
High Point/Thomasville, N.C. – Just like on Monday night against the Martinsville Mustangs (10-8), the High Point-Thomasville HiToms (12-6) win on a walk-off hit this time delivered by Teddy Hoffman in extra innings. The 7-6 HiTom victory marks their fifth win in a row.
Unlike Monday, the pitching wasn’t at the forefront in this one. A RBI groundout by Daniel Sullivan plated the first run of the game. It was followed by an RBI bunt single by Derek Scheible and a RBI knock by Drew Frederic to give the HiToms an early 3-0 advantage.
The Mustangs chipped away at the HiToms lead with an RBI single by Jacob Long and a RBI fielder’s choice by Joshua Smith that ended the top of the second inning with a rundown in front of home plate.
The first big blow of the game in the top of the sixth with Robert Donnelly still on the mound for the HiToms when surrendered a solo homer to Collin Fleischer to grab the first Martinsville lead of the game.
In the top of the seventh, Reid Clements inherited a bases loaded, one out jam from fellow HiToms reliver Chris McGrath. Clements walked in a run to make it 5-3 Mustangs, but rebounded to strike out the next five batters he faced.
HPT started fighting back in the bottom of the seventh on a RBI double to left centerfield from Hoffman bringing to the deficit down to one run.
Runners at the corners with two outs in the top of the eighth and Austin Reich was summoned out of the bullpen, he walked the first batter he faced then got the crucial strikeout to keep it 5-4 with the HiToms closing in.
Wyatt Cross ripped a RBI double down the right field line to tie the game up at five apiece in the bottom of the eighth but it would stay tied at 5 all the way to extra innings.
Reich’s control became a problem with the bases loaded again in the top of the tenth he let a wild pitch go by to bring across the go-ahead run for Martinsville.
With their backs against the wall, the HiToms quickly went to work in the bottom half of the tenth. Pinch hitter Hunter Slater laced a double down the third base line putting runners at first and third with nobody out. An intentional walk loaded the bases and then Martinsville reliever John LaRossa threw a wild pitch scoring David Fry as the tying run at 6-6.
Brad Jarreau lined out to the second baseman for the first out and with the table set and the infield playing in, Teddy Hoffman stepped in.
Hoffman sent a 2-0 pitch on a line to left field to deliver the HiToms their second walk-off win in as many games versus Martinsville.
“I just tried to stay calm and hopefully get a good pitch,” Teddy Hoffman said. “I had my teammates behind me which was really great.”
The HiToms head back to the road tomorrow at Forest City with a first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.