Wildcats pull away for mercy rule win over McKenzie
Published 12:00 pm Tuesday, April 12, 2022
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Florala scored eight unanswered runs and needed only five innings for a 13-3 home win against McKenzie in a varsity baseball contest Monday.
Jahmarren Jackson led off the game with a double and scored the first run on a wild pitch with two outs. Colby Strickland hit a one-out single for the Wildcats (10-11) and stole second and third. Following a walk to Judd Goolsby, Kennith Dalton Jackson tied the score at 1-1 with an RBI single. Seth Bundy helped his own cause with a single and drove home Jackson before John Howell stole home for a 3-1 lead. Jayden McMillian took a walk in the top of the second, but Bundy held the Tigers off the board. Strickland and Goolsby pushed the lead to 5-1 with two-out RBI singles in the bottom half.
Skylar Sanders scored on a sacrifice fly from Eli Blackburn before a two-out error cut the deficit to 5-3. McKenzie could not get closer as Bundy caught McMillian looking for the third out. Florala loaded the bases on two singles and a walk but was unable to push a run across. Bundy retired MHS in order on 10 pitches in the top of the fourth. Strickland and Goolsby opened the bottom half with back-to-back walks. Jackson then reached on an error as Strickland and Goolsby both scored for a 7-3 lead. Following a pitching change, Howell grounded out but plated Jackson and pushed the lead to 8-3 after four innings.
Wyatt Brooks worked fast in the fifth and recorded three straight groundouts from McKenzie. Jacob Lara and Johan Zamora each led off the home portion with a walk as Goolsby filled the bases with a single to center. Jackson followed with a two-run single and increased the lead to 10-3. After Howell stroked an RBI single, Jackson scored when a pitch hit Bundy. Christian Greasham grounded out and drove in Howell as Florala took the 10-run win.
Jackson finished 2-for-4 with three runs and five RBIs. Strickland was 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI, and Goolsby went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI. Bundy was the winning pitcher and allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out four and walking one in four innings on the mound.
The Wildcats will begin their final area series Tuesday, April 12 at 4 p.m. against Kinston and travel to KHS Thursday, April 14 with first pitch scheduled for 4 p.m.