Wildcats Get 18 Hits In 14-7 Win Over Notre Dame
by John Hunt
posted May 5, 2008
The Hixson Wildcats are playing their best baseball of the season at the most opportune time.
Facing the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the winners’ bracket of the District 6-AA tournament at Hixson, the Wildcats had an offensive explosion and the results were pleasing to all the Hixson followers.
The Wildcats about knocked the cover off the ball as they collected a season-high 18 hits en route to a 14-7 victory Monday night. Six of those 18 hits were doubles.
Every member of Hixson’s lineup had at least one hit and two-thirds of them had at least one run batted in.
The big inning for Hixson came in the top of the third – the Wildcats were the visiting team in this game – when Hixson sent a dozen men to the plate.
A walk and seven hits combined to send seven runs home as the Wildcats overcame an early 1-0 deficit and they never trailed again.
The Irish never tossed in the white towel and kept chipping away, putting single runs on the board in the third and fourth innings before scoring three more in the fifth to trim the margin to 7-6.
Notre Dame fans may have started to feel good about the situation at that point and Hixson followers may have gotten tense at the same time.
Those feelings didn’t last long as Hixson came right back with four runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to put the game completely out of reach.
It hasn’t been too long ago that the Wildcats literally went through the doldrums as they reached a low point with an eight-game losing streak.
They’ve lost one game since then, but they’re clicking on all cylinders and have now won three games in the last four days.
Notre Dame now faces Marion Countyh in a losers' bracket game Tuesday at 4. Hixson will meet the winner at 7.
A Hixson victory will give the tournament title to the Wildcats while a loss by Hixson would force a second game on Wednesday.
Hixson coach Brian Bray is feeling good about his team these days, especially after season-highs in runs scored and hits.
“We’ve been hitting the ball and that’s the key. We’re giving ourselves a chance to win at the right time and we’ve finally come together as a team.
"I felt like better times were ahead when we were in the middle of that losing streak and they’re here. We just hope it will continue,” he said after his team improved to 19-13.
The only downside of Monday’s game was four errors committed by the Wildcats. Even that didn’t seem to bother Bray.
“All of those errors we made were committed on hustle plays with hard-hit balls. My guys are giving maximum effort and that’s all I can ask,” the coach added.
Notre Dame coach Brian Hitchcox didn’t fault his offense, but he was outspoken about his defense.
“We’ve got to make the routine plays and tonight we didn’t. We’ve got to catch fly balls and pop-ups. Those don’t take bad hops,” he began.
“We scored seven runs and that should be enough to win the game. We gift-wrapped this one for them, but now we just have to bounce back and see what happens,” Hitchcox added.
Hixson’s seven-run third started with a single by Brett McClure. Parker Schilling followed with a double while Josh Coppinger drove them both home with another double.
Adam Duncan sent Coppinger home with a single to left. One out later, Colton Green was hit by a pitch before winning pitcher Travis Cook ripped an RBI-single and Devin Reed a run-scoring double.
Schilling drove in the final two runs of the frame with a screaming single to center as the momentum shifted Hixson’s way.
Cook had a two-run single to highlight the four-run sixth while Duncan and Green had run-scoring hits in the seventh.
Schilling and Coppinger both finished with three hits to lead the Hixson hit parade while Duncan, Green, Cook, Reed and Phillip Akridge all had two apiece.
Cook finished with three runs batted in while Schilling, Coppinger and Green all had two each.
Notre Dame shortstop Chris Holloway was the big hitter for the Irish as he swatted a pair of solo homers.
Ben Howard also had two hits while Sam Eberle, Wyatt Ervin, Corey Richardson and Patrick Doyle all had one apiece. Richardson’s two-run double highlighted Notre Dame’s three-run fifth.
Cook went six innings for the win as he allowed all seven runs and all eight hits. He walked one and struck out two. Coppinger pitched a perfect seventh, which included a pair of strikeouts.
Howard was the losing pitcher for Notre Dame. He gave up 11 hits and seven earned runs while striking out two and walking one.
Marion County advanced with a 9-3 victory over Chattanooga Christian. Lucas Lloyd was the winner for the Warriors. Justin Bell was the big hitter for Marion with four hits in five trips to drive in six runs.
Tyler Smith and Landon Gray both homered for the Chargers and each finished with two hits.
Sam Griswold, Ben Murphy and Joe Muice all had two hits for Marion, now 26-8-1 for the season.
Chattanooga Christian’s season ends at 13-16.
Hixson 007 004 3 – 14 18 4
Notre Dame 101 131 0 – 7 8 2
Cook, Coppinger (7) and Duncan; Howard, Wells (6), Hennen (7) and Eberle.
(Email John Hunt at tnmoose2002@aol.com)
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