By RODNEY YOUNG
NRVSports.net
Playing on a mostly cloudy evening Wednesday at Narrows, Grayson County scored four runs in the second inning and held on to defeat the Narrows Green Wave 10-6 in an opening round game of the Class 1 Region C baseball playoffs.
The big hit for the Blue Devils was a three-run home run by Mason Carico in the second inning. Carico would score two runs and finished with three RBI.
Troy Stockner had three hits, scored a run, and drove in a run. Eight different players scored a run, and eight players had at least one hit, for the win.
Makray Goad started and got the win, pitching 5.0 innings. He struck out 11 and gave up six hits and five runs. Maverik Goad came on in relief and pitched the last two innings. He surrendered just one run and two hits. Zach Weatherman had two hits, as did Braeden Ward. Makray scored twice, and Maverik scored a run, and both had one RBI.
Narrows was led at the plate by Tucker Bryan. He had three hits and scored twice. Starting pitcher Sam McGlothlin scored a run and knocked in a run. On the mound, he took the loss as he hurled 4.1 innings. He gave up nine hits, seven runs, and struck out three. Parker Bryan went the last 2.2 innings as he allowed three runs, three hits, and walked four. The Green Wave got hits from Cooper Sutphin, Cooper Helvey, Elijah Knoetze and Jackson Thompson.
Down 4-0 going into the bottom of the third, Narrows scored twice to cut the deficit in half.
Grayson would then score three times in the top of the fourth to go up 7-2. But they would then see the Green Wave battle back with two runs in their half of the fourth to make the score 7-4. They would then score another run in the fifth to cut the deficit to two, 7-5 after five.
Both teams scored a run in the sixth, and then Grayson would put the game into the win column by scoring twice at the top of the seventh.
Grayson head coach Stephen James said, “We got a big hit there early by Mason (Carico) and the two Goads pitched well enough for us to win.”
The win advances the Blue Devils to the region semi-finals. They will face the Fort Chiswell Pioneers at Fort Chiswell, Monday, June 1.
Grayson Co. 0 4 0 – 3 0 1 – 2 – 10
Narrows 0 0 2 – 2 1 1 – 0 – 6
Grayson 10 runs – 12 hits – 2 errors
Narrows – 6 runs – 8 hits – 2 errors
Grayson Co. – WP – Mak. Goad
Narrows – LP – McGlothlin
