The Scott Eagles found themselves trailing 6-0 and down to nine outs against the visiting Pendleton County Wildcats in the season-opener for both teams in the 10th Region battle.
But Scott dug deep and rallied to record an 8-7 victory. Senior Troy Grubb scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh. He reached on an error, stole second then moved to third when the ball got away from the Pendleton County fielders into the outfield. Grubb then bolted home on a wild pitch for the game-winning run.
“I’m always eager to go with my speed,” Grubb said. “It’s good to get the win under our belts. My goal is to get on base. I’ve been struggling some with contact. I was there to make a play.”
Kevin Goins is in his third season as head coach of the Eagles. Scott did not open the season with a victory in 2019 or last year.
Both teams recorded four hits and three errors. Neither team saw one player record more than one hit.
“We had a couple 0-2 counts where if we make the pitch where we want it, maybe we’re in good shape,” Goins said. “If you leave it over the plate, hitters ought to be able to take care of it. That’s what happened.”
The Eagles began rally in the bottom of the fifth with one out when sophomore Dylan Giffen had an excuse me swing double down the left field line and junior Leo Brown walked to lead the bases. Senior Dylan Manhardt singled to center to put Scott on the board before senior Logan Wiehoff drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-2 Wildcats scoring Giffen. Brown then scored on a junior Casey Hilbert single to trim the margin to 6-3.
With two out, Scott drew four straight walks. Manhardt and Wiehoff scored on bases-loaded walks to trim the margin to 6-5 before Grubb scored on a baulk. Sophomore Porter Huston then put Scott up 7-6 stealing home after senior Hunter Blackburn drew a walk.
The Wildcats tied the game at 7-7 in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch. But the Eagles did throw a Pendleton County runner out at home after failing to record the out at second on a ground ball.
“We have two guys returning that had a decent amount of varsity innings (pitching) last year,” Goins said. “We have some who are wet behind the ears. You’re going to have lumps. I’m proud of them. It could have been easy for an inexperienced team to fold it up and say, ‘We’re done.’ These guys fought and gave us an opportunity to have a walk-off win.”
Huston pitched the last two innings striking out two, walking one and allowed one run and one hit to pick up the win. Freshman Brady Smith held down the Pendleton County offense giving the Eagles a chance.
“The team has fight in it for sure,” Huston said. “It was nerve-racking getting in there with the lead like that. But I felt like I did my job and got us the win.”
Scott travels to Carroll County on Thursday, March 17. Game time is 6 p.m.
Softball:
Scott 18, Mason County 3 (5 innings):
The Lady Eagles ventured to Maysville and downed the Lady Royals in the season-opener for both teams in a 10th Region game.
Scott jumped out to a 5-1 lead after the first inning before scoring nine in the top of the third to go up 14-1. The Lady Eagles added one in the fourth and three in the fifth outhitting Mason County, 16-3. The teams committed one error each.
Scott saw six different players record multi-hit games. Sophomore Emma Scribner picked up the pitching win and went 3 for 3 at the plate with a double, one walk and three runs scored. Senior Morgan Chalk hit a three-run home run in her first at-bat. She finished 3 for 5 with four runs batted in and three runs scored.
Senior third baseman Riley Reeves went 3 for 3 with two walks and four runs scored. Freshman catcher Emerson Morman went 2 for 3 with one double, three RBI and two runs scored. Freshman center fielder Elise Manhardt went 2 for 3 with two walks, two RBI and three runs scored. Sophomore second baseman Ivy Cochran went 2 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Scott does not play again until March 21. The Lady Eagles travel to Bracken County for a 6 p.m. battle.
Tuesday, March 15 NKY Baseball Scores:
Bellevue 2, Bracken County 1
Calvary Christian 7, Ludlow 6
Tuesday, March 15 NKY Softball Score:
Simon Kenton 5, Conner 1