WEB CAST.
In the two regular season meetings between Garner and Middle Creek last season, the two teams combined for 41 runs so it should come as no surprise that on Wednesday afternoon at Trojan Park, it would be another offensive showdown, but it would be the Mustangs who came out on top 14-6.
Garner struck first in the bottom of the first as Jesse Fisher led off the game reaching on a throwing error and advancing to second of the poor throw. Two pitches later, Fisher stole third and the throw from Middle Creek catcher, Jimmy Boyd went sailing into left field to give Garner a 1-0 lead.
Trojan starter, Matt Powell came back out for his second inning of work and after allowing a lead off hit in the first looked like he would get out of the jam but a defensive miscue came back to haunt him as Dylan Drayton had a sacrifice fly to center to tie the game at one.
But, Garner came right back in the bottom of th second as Hunter Brown began his day at the plate with a line drive double to left field. Brown later scored on a RBI fielder's choice by starting pitcher, Matt Powell.
Powell got the Mustangs to go in order in the third inning on a great play up the middle by Jared Newbry the Freshman took the ground ball, stepped on second and threw out Matt Laxton at first for the double play to end the Middle Creek third.
After Garner failed to score in the third, Middle Creek came back with a run in the fourth as Seth Watkins scored on a error to tie the game at two. However, the game would not stay tied for long as Garner came storming right back in the bottom of the frame.
With two outs in the inning, Hunter Brown came back to the dish and on the first pitch he saw from Mustang starter, Seth Watkins, Brown turned on the pitch and hooked it just inside the left field fair pole to give Garner a one run lead.
Things began to go south for the Trojans in the fifth as Middle Creek just used the old baseball sayin' and "hit 'em where they ain't" that equated to 11 Mustang batters coming to the plate and six runs crossing the plate and going to the bottom of the fifth, the Mustangs had taken a 8-3 lead.
To the Trojans credit they did not quit as they came back with another run in the fifth as Brett Bailey struck out to start the inning, but reached as the ball got away from the Mustang catcher. Bailey would score two batters later on a throwing error by Middle Creek reliever, Landon Baliant.
After the Mustangs plated three runs in the top of the sixth, Garner came back up looking to cut into the lead and did. Brett Walters singled to left to start the sixth, which brought up the catcher, CJ Schmidt, with a 3-2 count on CJ, he hammered a pitch to deep left field that cleared the wall for his second home run of the season and made the score 10-6 in favor of Middle Creek.
Unfortunately, the Trojans could not get any closer as they found offense in the seventh and came away with a 14-6 win over Garner.
The Trojans are back in action on Friday when they travel to Smithfield-Selma for a 7:00 first pitch. The JV game will begin at 4.
