’Stangs remain perfect

By Marcus Gates, sports@laurelleadercall.com

March 11, 2008 10:10 am

West Jones and Northeast Jones played a thrilling baseball game last week with the Mustangs taking a 10-9 victory. In the re-match Monday, the two teams played homerun derby with the Mustangs rallying on Chase Headrick’s grand slam to take a 7-5 victory.
The Mustangs beat Perry Central later in the day to remain perfect on the year at 12-0.
After a scoreless first three innings, Jacob Upton walked to lead off the fourth inning for the Tigers (5-5) and Evan Windham crushed a 3-2 pitch that landed about halfway up the pine trees over the left center field wall. It was Windham’s second dinger of the season.
West Jones responded in the bottom of the fourth, as Brandon Holley hit a solo homer —his first of two solo homeruns in the game — to cut the deficit to 2-1.
With one out in the top of the sixth inning, Cory Williams got in on the homer parade, belting his first dinger of the season to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead. Northeast Jones wasn’t done, however, as Catfish Gainey and Ross Ferguson both got on base and came around to score to make it 5-1.
After Holley got a run back in the bottom of the sixth with his lead off homerun — a line drive shot over the wall, Tyler Gardner drove in a run with a base hit to draw the Mustangs within 5-3.
Garrett Moore then singled to load the bases and Headrick walked to the plate. After looking things over, he stood in and fouled off a few pitches to bring the count to 3-2. And then with one crack of the bat — just like that — the game turned as the ball sailed over the left center field wall for a grand slam to put the ‘Stangs up 7-5.
Northeast Jones managed a hit in the seventh, but couldn’t muster a rally.
Devin Huff got the win in relief for West Jones, while Colby Prince took the loss for Northeast Jones.
At the plate for West, Traice Hill was 2-for-3 with a walk, Holley was 3-for-3 and Headrick hit a grand slam. For Northeast, Williams was 3-for-4 with a walk and Gainey was 2-for-5.
Northeast Jones plays at Northeast Lauderdale today, while West Jones returns to action March 18 at Quitman.

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Photos


Garrett Moore was the starting pitcher for West Jones in their 7-5 victory over cross county rival Northeast Jones Monday. Moore did not get the win, but he did get a hit in the bottom of the sixth inning and scored run for the Mustangs.


Catfish Gainey beats out the throw to first base in the top of the sixth inning for Northeast Jones. Gainey later scored to give the Tigers a 5-1 lead at the time.


Alec Barlow strikes out in the top of the fifth innig to end the Tigers at bat. Barlow was one of only two Northeast Jones batters to reach base in the top of the seventh innig.