Hixson’s Tanner Moylan avoids a pickoff throw at first base
photo by M.A. Locke
We all know that baseball can be a crazy game.
That little white ball can take some unexpected bounces in unpredictable directions at times and the better team isn't always the one that wins.
Such was the case at Red Bank Monday night where the visiting Hixson Wildcats were hoping to stay perfect in the district standings.
It didn't turn out that way as the Lions scored single runs in the final three innings to beat the Wildcats by a 7-6 final in a game that ended with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth.
This hasn't been the most memorable of seasons for the Lions as they've lost a lot more than they've won. But on an evening when they were playing their final district home game, had nothing to lose and everything to gain, the Lion faithful went home with a smile on their face.
"We knew we needed to get a win in this game for seeding purposes in the district tournament, but we just had to take care of business," said Red Bank coach Trey Hicks after his team had improved to 8-16 overall and 7-4 in the 6-AA standings.
"Scoring those three runs in the first inning was big. Hixson came right back to tie it, but we were able to answer. We've struggled at the plate all year with strikeouts, but being able to just put the ball in play was huge as we wanted to make them field it and throw us out.
"I thought that Izak Sullivan did a great job for the first seven innings and Kaine Kell came in, threw strikes and did what he was supposed to do. But we needed this win more than you'll ever know. We just need to keep fighting and see what happens," Hicks concluded with a smile.
Hixson coach Colton Green wasn't feeling as good.
"There are some nights when you just don't have it. We started off kind of slow, but we were able to pick up the intensity in the seventh when we took the lead. The ball just didn't bounce our way and this loss hurts, but it's all practice for the post-season," he explained.
Kenan Markum was the starter for Hixson while Sullivan got the nod for the Lions. Both pitched seven innings and left with the score tied at 5-5.
Tanner Moylan had kept Hixson's hopes alive with a clutch, two-out single to left in the seventh on a 2-2 count that drove in Xan Tobias, who had led off the inning with a single. Moylan went to second on the throw home and scooted to third on a passed ball before scoring the go-ahead run on a Red Bank boot.
Red Bank may have been down at that point, but the Lions weren't out as they knotted the score when Bruce Stancel's single drove in Reed Laney, who had singled with one out and stolen second.
Both teams scored an unearned run in the eighth before Kell retired the Wildcats in order in the ninth.
The Lions had runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings and couldn't come through with the clutch hit, but that wasn't the case in the ninth.
Laney reached on another Hixson boot before Stancel singled again. Chaz Eich was walked intentionally to load the bases with nobody out before Austin Culpepper drove in the game-winning run with a fielders choice as Laney beat the throw home as the Red Bank players erupted from the dugout in celebration.
Red Bank may have ended it in the eighth, but Brandon Carver made a perfect throw home from left to nail Blake Cagle for the third out.
Kell was the winning pitcher in relief while Matt Oxford suffered the loss for Hixson.
Cabe Davis, Moylan, Markum and Tobias all had two hits for Hixson as the Wildcats finished with nine.
Stancel had four hits in five at-bats for Red Bank. His double in the first plated Noah Jones with the first run and he added singles in his last three plate appearances.
Nick Schanley, Jones and Laney all had two apiece as the Lions finished the game with a dozen hits.
These same two teams will play at Hixson Tuesday night with the first pitch slated for 7 p.m.
The Wildcats are now 21-10 overall and 10-1 in district standings.
HIXSON 030 000 210 -- 6 9 4
RED BANK 310 000 111 -- 7 12 4
Markum, Oxford (8) and Julian; Sullivan, Kell (8) and Stancel.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)