Baseball

Hoggard 3 - Ashley 2

As Coach St. Ledger said afterward, “That was a great high school baseball game.”  Coming from the winning coach, it is usually a great game, but even from a fan’s perspective, Tuesday night’s showdown between the unbeaten Hoggard Vikings and the defending East Region champion Ashley Screamin Eagles, was a classic.

Scott Coleman’s bomb on a 2-1 pitch in the bottom of the first put the Vikes up 1-0, and that seemed like all the support pitcher Adam Honeycutt would need as he kept Ashley off the board inning after inning.

But with their backs against the wall, Ashley responded with a desperation run in the top of the seventh in their last at-bat.  After positioning runners on the corners, Caleb Long dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt on the first pitch he saw, allowing the tying run to score.  Eagle skipper Brian Steward said, “Coach Mac gave me the idea to surprise them, so we figured we’d do it on the first pitch.”  With perfect timing and execution, the squeeze worked brilliantly.

Hoggard was set down in order in the bottom of the seventh and Ashley took their first lead in extra innings on a safety squeeze, continuing to play small ball and doing the little things necessary to win a tight game.  

According to Hoggard’s David Coleman, “Morale was down, but Scotty Braswell gave us all a little pep talk, it was a good comeback.”  Trailing 2-1, Coleman would drive in the game tying run as he fisted a fastball into shallow left center.  With runners on second and third, Ashley intentionally walked the bases full to set up a force out or possible double play to get them out of the inning, but freshman Scott Johnson hit a line drive single plating the winning run.  “I just wanted to put the ball in play.  It was a fastball, and I was a little late, but got it through the hole,” Johnson said of his heroics.

It was a well played game that teetered on every pitch during the last few innings.  

Hoggard will have another big in-town rivalry game at home on Friday when they host Laney, while Ashley looks to rebound on Thursday at White Oak.  Coach Stewart said of his Eagles, “We’ve got to keep competing, for a lot of these guys it was their first big rivalry game, we’ll keep working.”

Softball

Hoggard 6 - Ashley 0

The Lady Vikings plated single runs in the first and second innings and never looked back winning a Mideastern Conference match up with Ashley on Tuesday.  Hoggard head coach Colleen St. Ledger said, “Pitching and defense did a wonderful job, it was a whole team effort.”

Stephanie Simmons got the win on the mound for Hoggard while VJ Watkins (3-4, 2 RBI), Kelly Maultsby (3-3), and Caitlin Bissette (2-3, 2 RBI) paced the offensive attack.

Ashley will play Thursday at White Oak, while Hoggard hosts Laney on Friday.

North Brunswick 13 - Trask 12

With six runs in the top of the seventh and final inning, North Brunswick rallied to down Trask 13-12 on Tuesday.  Sheniqua Harrison was 3 for 4 at the plate in the dramatic come from behind victory.  Other NBHS stars were Shiatia Thomas (2 for 3, 2 RBIs), JoLanda (2 RBI Double), and LaTesha Harrison (2 RBIs)