WEB CAST.
Coming into play on Thursday night, Garner was still in the playoff hunt as they traveled to Smithfield-Selma to take on the 2nd ranked team in the state and conference front runner. It had been widely assumed that Garner could afford one loss and still make the playoffs, and with everyone believing the loss would come to the Spartans, Garner found a way to come back from the brink of defeat to top the Spartans 12-8.
Garner scored first in the top of the second when Brett Walters doubled and after advancing to third on a Jared Newbry sacrifice bunt, Connor Torruella single home Walters to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead.
Hunter Brown came out and had a stellar outing to keep the Trojans on top until the Spartans came alive offensively with six runs in the fourth inning prompting Garner to make a pitching change in the inning and escape the fourth down by just five at 6-1.
Unlike times before, Garner refused to die as they answered the Spartans with a six spot of their on. After Jesse Fisher and Alec Hulmes reached to start the inning, Brett Walters doubled home a run and chased Spartan starter Tate Parrish from the game.
Enter Hunter Jones for the Spartans who struggled in relief of Parrish. Matt Powell was walked by Jones to load the bases with still no outs. With the pond full of ducks, Jared Newbry came to the dish and line a base hit down the right field line and into the corner to clear the bases and tie the game at six. Newbry scored one batter later on a Colin Perry single and after five complete innings, Garner now had a 7-6 lead.
After Jackson Pleasant and Jacob Baker combined to shut down the Spartans in the bottom of the fifth, Garner went back to work in the sixth with a five spot.
With one out, CJ Schmitt walked and Matt Powell singled ahead of Brett Walters, who on the first pitch he saw from Dylan Brown, turned on the pitch and drove it deep and out to left field for a three-run home run and give Garner a 10-6 lead. That lead would grow later in the inning with two runners on and Colin Perry at the plate.
With a 3-2 count on him, Perry fouled off two pitches before seeing one he liked from Ben Youngblood and Perry sent a no doubter over the right field wall and cap the Garner scoring and after six and half, the Trojans had a 12-6 lead.
The Spartans refused to die and scored a couple of two out runs in the bottom of the sixth, but, Jacob Baker and Alec Hulmes finished the job on the mound to give the Trojans a 12-8 win over the Spartans.
Garner (10-11, 5-6) will return to action Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 when the travel to Southeast Raleigh.
Winning Pitcher: Jacob Baker: 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K
Losing Pitcher: Hunter Jones: -- IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
Save: Alec Hulmes: 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K
Trojans Down 2nd Ranked Spartans
