Hurricanes Split Week; Win 1
The Monticello Hurricane baseball program welcomed two nearby rivals to the Athletic Complex last week, taking on the Red Devils from Jackson and the War Eagles of Putnam County.
Just for good measure, the junior varsity Hurricanes added a game with Mary Persons to the mix of surrounding counties that came to visit. The Hurricanes came into the week with a 2-8 record, a mixture of close games and inexperience to thank for their ledger. The Red Devils were coming in with an overall record of 5-7, and showing much improvement over the previous season. Although a traditional rival in many aspects, the Hurricanes and Red Devils have only met 27 times in the “modern” era of Monticello baseball (records since 1980), with the Jacksonians holding a 19-8 lead in the series.
The game started out pretty even, with the Red Devils taking a lead in the top of the third. The leadoff hitter for the Red Devils laced a ball into left field, which was then misplayed and turned into a three-base error. After the first pitch to the next batter, a balk by pitcher Grady Jordan scored the first run of the game. The at-bat continued with a walk, and a slow ground out to third advanced the runner to second base, with now one out in the inning. Another hit to left drove in the runner from second, increasing the lead to 2-0.
The Hurricanes would not be denied though, putting up a three-spot in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead. After a leadoff walk to Tom Schilling to lead off the inning, back to back outs placed a runner at second and some doubt as to the scoring chances of the Hurricanes. Consecutive two out walks to leadoff hitter Evan Diaz and Tres Cohran loaded the bases for Chevy Sands, who was then hit by a pitch on a 3-2 count to force in a run. The next batter, Hunter Hays, laced a hot shot to short, which was bobbled. With runners moving on the play, the ‘Canes were able to score two, and take the lead at 3-2.
Unfortunately for the Hurricanes, the Red Devils scored 8 in the top of the next inning, with only a couple of the runs earned. They were aided by five walks and two errors to assist their efforts in increasing the score to 10-3. Back to back singles greeted a new Red Devil arm in the bottom of the fifth, with Evan Diaz and Tres Cohran reaching. Diaz stole third, putting runners on the corners, and a fielder’s choice ground ball to short by Hunter Hays scored him from third.
This cut into the lead, but still a long way off. In the bottom of the sixth, the Hurricanes again started the inning with back to back hits, with catcher Chandler Aguirre leading off with a single. After a balk moved courtesy runner Malyle Thurman to second, hot hitting Tom Schilling roped a double to right, scoring Thurman and closing out the scoring for the ‘Canes. The Red Devils added one more in the top of the seventh, and the Hurricanes went down quietly in the bottom half of the inning for a final score of 11-5 Red Devils.
The Putnam County game the next day was a stark contrast in comparison. The War Eagles started strong, scoring one in the first with a two out single and double plating the first run of the contest. In the second inning, back to back walks to start the inning both came around to score on a single to left, giving the War Eagles a 3-0 lead, but that was all she wrote for the scoring chances of the Putnam County nine, as the Hurricanes swept in and the bats came alive in the bottom of the inning.
With one out, Schilling continued his hot hitting, singling to short and beating out the throw. After stealing second and advancing to third on a passed ball, Schilling scored on another passed ball before the third out was made by way of strikeout one pitch later. In the bottom of the third inning, the Hurricanes were able to knot the score at three, courtesy of a leadoff single from Diaz, and back to back hit batters in Hays and Ethan McMichael loaded the bases with only one out. Aguirre came to the plate and hit a ground ball to second which was unable to be fielded cleanly, allowing Diaz and Hays to score and even up the scoring. The bases were reloaded after another batter, Riley Savage, was hit by Putnam County’s starter, Hunter Holder. Unfortunately, the ‘Canes were unable to capitalize as a strikeout left the bases loaded and the score knotted at 3.
In the bottom half of the fourth, the boys of Monticello were able to double up their run production courtesy of timely hitting and fielding mishaps by the War Eagles. Levi Shaw led off with a scorching single to left, followed by Diaz reaching on an error at third. Cohran reached on a fielder’s choice, with Diaz being forced at second to put runners on the corners. This brought up the heavy lumber of Hunter Hays, who stroked a single that scored both Shaw and Cohran after Cohran had stolen second to place himself in scoring position. Hays then stole second, and Aguirre drove him in with another single to left. Schilling came up again, and added another hit, but the third out was made when Gabe Evans, courtesy runner for Aguirre, was thrown out advancing to third on the play.
The score was now 6-3 Hurricanes, and they weren’t finished yet. In the bottom of the fifth, the Hurricanes loaded the bases on consecutive walks to the bottom of the lineup, followed by Shaw being hit by pitch, the third batter of the game that had been hit by Putnam pitching. With a new arm in, and being quite wild, the ‘Canes were able to add another run on a wild pitch that advanced all runners and scored Savage, who had led off the inning.
Tres Cohran added a sharp single to center that plated Sands and Grady Jordan, who had come into the game to run for Shaw. This increased the Hurricane lead to 9-3. The next Hurricane hitter Hunter Hays struck out on a wild pitch, but was able to reach. Cohran advanced to third on the play. The Hurricanes reloaded the bases after Ethan McMichael became the fourth Hurricane batter to reach via the hit by pitch route, bringing up Aguirre who laced a line drive single into left to bring in Cohran and put the ‘Canes into double digits on the scoreboard. With the bases still loaded, Schilling drove a liner into center that scored Hays, increasing the Hurricane lead to 11-3.
Riley Savage was able to work a four pitch walk to force in another run, and the Hurricanes were able to close out the scoring and the game when Evans, who had run for Aguirre, scored on a wild pitch to make the final 13-3 Hurricanes.
Hays was sharp on the bump for the Hurricanes in picking up the win, throwing a 5 inning complete game and allowing only 5 hits, 3 runs (of which two were earned), and only allowing 2 walks while striking out 5 War Eagle batters.
Schilling led the ‘Canes at the plate, going 3 for 4 and driving in a run. The Hurricane schedule for this week includes a slate of road games, traveling to Loganville Christian, Glascock County, and Jackson. Next week, the Hurricanes will play a home and home with the Lamar County Trojans, and host Stratford of Macon next Friday.
Come out and support the ‘Canes!