By By Ryan Satcher/staff writer
Feb. 27, 2002
The Trojans of Northeast Lauderdale got a big district win in Tuesday night baseball action as they defeated visiting Northeast Jones 8-4.
Northeast Lauderdale scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 4-4 tie and take the win.
The Trojans got a complete game, 13 strike-out performance from Will Matlock to get the win and move to 1-0 in district play.
The Trojans got on the board early as they plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead. Ryan Stewart started the inning off with a walk and Cory Chance also walked to give the Trojans runners at first and second. The next batter, Drew Anderson, hit a ball deep to right field that got over the rightfielder's head and allowed Stewart to score. Dusty Hedgpeth brought in Chance with a safety squeeze and Northeast Lauderdale lead 2-0 after one inning.
The Trojans struck for two more runs in the bottom of the fourth to expand the lead. Jason Pritchett lead off the inning with a double to right. Matlock singled in Pritchett to make the score 3-0. Ryan Stewart came up with a two-out hit to score courtesy runner Stephen Dyess and give the Trojans a 4-0 advantage.
Northeast Jones finally got to Matlock in the fifth inning as they score four runs on just two hits. Jamie Hales singled to start the rally. Jeffrey Fountain walked and Josh Keyes reached on an error to load the bases for Northeast Jones. Nathan Jack was hit by a pitch to bring in the first run of the game for the visitors. Josh Johnson followed with an RBI walk. Justin Wade came up with a nice two-strike hit to score Keyes and Jack and tie the game up at four. The Trojans came up with a nice double-play to get out of trouble.
Both teams were quiet until the bottom of the sixth when the Trojans broke out for four runs. Matlock started the rally with a walk. Dyess ran for Matlock and moved to second on a wild pitch. Dyess scored when a fielder threw the ball away trying to get Chad Brunson out at first. Brunson moved to third on a wild pitch and later scored on another wild pitch to give the Trojans a 6-4 lead.
The Trojans were not done yet. Chance was hit by a pitch and Anderson was walked intentionally. Then J.R. Smith followed with a walk to load the bases for Hedgpeth. Hedgpeth ripped a double off of the base of the wall in left field to knock in Chance and Anderson and give the Trojans some insurance runs.
Matlock walked two batters in the seventh but settled down and struck out his thirteenth batter and got the last batter to groundout for the victory and complete game. He allowed only three hits over in seven innings.
The Trojans improve to 3-4 on the season and 1-0 in district play. They will return to action on Friday night against Quitman.