Spencer Celebrates Birthday With Game-Winning Hit

Hayden Spencer celebrated his 18th birthday on Saturday, so it was only fitting that the Silverdale junior got the game winning hit in the non-district baseball game with Chattanooga Christian.

Hits and runs were few and far between at Silverdale for a game played under crystal-clear skies and a gusting wind that was at times, down right chilly.

Both teams had ample opportunities to score, but the fourth inning was the only one where anybody crossed home plate and they both did it one time.

But in the eighth with two runners on and nobody out, the Seahawk right-fielder never flinched. He  didn't have much to show for his first three at-bats with two strikeouts and a groundout to second, but when the opportunity presented itself at the end with the game on the line, he came through like a champ.

Designated hitter Peyton Matheny had led off the eighth with a double down the line in right.  He advanced to third when Tyler Mossburg reached on an error by the CCS first baseman and that's when Spencer's time to really shine rose to the surface.

The Seahawk junior liked what he was on Tucker Elsea's first pitch and ripped a grounder to right that barely got past two diving Chargers.  Matheny scored with ease as Spencer rounded first with both arms extended skyward in celebration.

"I was really expecting a fastball, but it was just the right time for me as I knew I had to get Peyton in from third," Spencer said after the game ended.

It was a tough loss for CCS starter Tucker Elsea, a hard-nosed senior who probably deserved a better fate.  He finished the day with five hits and no walks in seven-plus innings.  There were no outs when the winning run scored.

"That's a big win for our team," said Silverdale coach Jonathan Adcock after his team had improved to 7-4 with the hard-earned victory.

"That was a close game against a good team and we beat a pretty good pitcher as well.  Tyler Mossburg is just coming back from injury and we liked the way he threw the ball, but Sawyer Junkins came in and did a fantastic job.

"I know we made four errors, but the best defense is the one who comes away with a win.  I hope this is a springboard for us as we have some big games coming up, including Monday against district foe CSAS," Adcock added.

CCS coach Joel Johnson had plenty of praise for his pitcher, but he didn't have much good to say about the Charger bats.

"We just didn't hit the ball like we have been.  Our timing was off today and we just didn't make the necessary adjustments.  Our pitcher was great and deserved a better result, but we just didn't get any key hits," he said following the game.

"It's always a close game with those guys and that's why we like to play them, but we just didn't get any hits and that was the bottom line.  The key will be how we respond on Monday against Signal Mountain," he added.

John Rhodes doubled to lead off the CCS fourth and stole third before scoring on a groundout to short by Amos Corbett.

The Seahawks came right back in the bottom of the inning to knot the score.  Alex Gonzalez, the only Silverdale player with two hits, led off the inning with a single and advanced on a single by Blake Howard.  Junkins then reached on a fielders choice with Gonzalez scoring on a bad throw to first.

Chattanooga Christian missed two golden opportunities to score late in the game, but left a pair of runners stranded in the fifth and seventh innings.

Sammy Jones reached on a one-out single in the fifth and advanced when Justin Wheeler was hit by a pitch.  Starting pitcher Mossburg for Brandon Mason on a fly to center for the second out before being replaced by Junkins, who coaxed Rhodes into a grounder to short to end the inning.

Then in the seventh, the Chargers got a leadoff single from Nick Wilson and a walk to Jones.  Wilson was then thrown out trying to steal second before Wheeler reached on a Seahawk boot.  Junkins then got Mason on a fly to center before ending the threat by striking out Rhodes.

CCS also had two runners on in the eighth, but the inning ended on a double play when Chris King flied to left for the second out before sophomore Chase Cook gunned down Corbett at home as he was trying to score from third.

Junkins was the winning pitcher in relief after giving up just two hits and a walk in 3.1 innings.

Matthew Mercer was the only CCS player with two hits while Gonzalez had a pair for the winning Seahawks.

CHATTANOOGA CHRISTIAN  000 100 00 -- 1 6 2

SILVERDALE  000 100 01 -- 2 5 4

Elsea and Rhodes; Mossberg, Junkins (5) and Bryant.

(email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)