Raider Green’s Alex Norton is safe at first on a pickoff attempt as Raider Green first baseman Cole Lovin receives the throw Monday afternoon at the Richmond Ninth Grade Academy.
Raider Gold got out to an early 4-0 lead. But Raider Green battled back to a 6-4 advantage, batting around and scoring six runs in the fourth.
For a Raider Gold squad that came into Monday night’s game undefeated at 3-0, it was time for a gut check.
Raider Gold coach Jason Norton had a chat with his team. “I told them if they wanted to win this game, it was on them,” Norton said.
The pep talk worked, as Raider Gold rallied for five runs to post a 9-4 win.
The uprising started in the top of the fifth. Cody Honeycutt singled, and Devontae Watkins hit a two-run homer to tie the score at 6.
Raider Green managed just a two out single and stranded the runner in the bottom of the fifth. Raider Gold struck again in the top of the sixth, with a lead single from Jason Sears. Drew Butler sacrificed Sears to second, and with two outs, Sears scored on a Kole Stanley single.
Raider Green looked to be mounting a rally in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Cole Lovin singled, stole second, and moved to third on a passed ball. Robert Williams walked, and a pickoff move gone awry put runners at second and third. Cody Wilson was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Raider Green stranded all three runners.
Raider Gold picked up a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh. With one out, Norton reached on an error and Chandler Fann clubbed a two-run homer.
Raider Green coach Dustin Braddock was proud of his team for battling back. “But it hurts when you’re down a run and leave the bases juiced,” Braddock said.
Raider Gold hosts Hoke on Thursday, while Raider Green travels to Scotland. Both games start at 4:30 p.m.
Contact sports editor David Vantress at 997-3111, ext. 14 or via email at dvantress@yourdailyjournal.com.
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