Rallies knock

WHS out of 1st
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

ICARD — For two straight games, Watauga has held a late lead only to see it slip away in the sixth inning.

This time, the Pioneers held a one-run lead only to see East Burke score three runs in two innings to take a 3-1 victory Wednesday night at East Burke’s field.Combined with a 4-2 loss to Alexander Central Tuesday, Watauga slips out of first place in the Northwestern 4-A Conference

.
Watauga scored its only run in the third inning when Austin Story drove in Baine Martin with a single. Martin reached base with a single, stole second and went to third on a fielder’s choice.

It was not Martin’s only time to reach second. In the first inning, he singled and eventually reached third base, but was thrown out at the plate on a failed safety-squeeze play.

Martin was not the only Pioneers to get into scoring position. In face, Watauga left four runners on base in the first two innings. Three of them were in scoring position.

East Burke was lucky to get a runner in scoring position off Watauga starter Jon Sharpe. The Cavaliers had a tough time with Sharpe, who did not allow a runner past second base in the first four innings of the game.

However, East Burke scored a run in the fifth on an RBI double by Dustin Kinley. In the sixth, the Cavaliers took a 3-1 lead on a two-run, two-out single by Trey Byrd off relief pitcher Ethan Moyer. Neither of the runs were earned since one of the Cavaliers who crossed the plate, Eric Chiz, reached base on an error with two outs.

East Burke pitcher Corey Rhoney made sure the Pioneers’ offense stayed silent past the third inning. Rhoney scattered five hits, all singles. Rhoney was particularly effective against the last four batters in the Watauga lineup, who went a combined 0-for-10 with nine strikeouts, a walk and a hit batsman.

Watauga also had insult added to its injury when catcher Adam Church injured his right hand during the game. His status for the Pioneers’ two games this weekend — at T.C. Roberson Friday and at home Saturday against No. 1 North Davidson — is unknown.

East Burke 3, Watauga 1
Watauga 001 000 0 — 1 5 2
East Burke 000 012 X — 3 5 0
Sharpe, Moyer (5) and Church. Rhoney and Orders. W—Rhoney (4-0), L—Moyer (2-1). LOB—Watauga 5, East Burke 5. 2B—East Burke, Kinley, Rhoney. SB—Watauga, Martin; East Burke, Kinley. CS—Watauga, Moyer; East Burke, Rhoney. HBP—Watauga, Shelton; East Burke, Byrd.

Alexander Central 4, Watauga 2
Though nothing was certain, Watauga looked like it was ready to knock off rival Alexander Central after five innings.

Tyler Moore, who had fought off a bout with walking pneumonia, was throwing a no-hitter, the Pioneers had a two-run lead and they were playing on a beautiful Tuesday night at Watauga’s field.

Then things went wrong. Not only did Moore lose his no-hit bid, Alexander Central scored four runs in the sixth inning. It was enough for the Cougars to beat Watauga 4-2 in a key Northwestern 4-A Conference game.

Watauga built a 2-0 lead by scoring a run in the fourth and a run in the fifth innings. Cal Hardee doubled in a run in the fourth, while Moyer scored on a fielder’s choice hit by Church in the fifth.

All through it, Moore was sailing along on the mound. The only hit he had given up, a first-inning infield hit by Ethan Elder back to the mound, was disallowed because Elder was called for interference running down to first base.

By the beginning of the sixth, Moore had struck out seven Cougars and walked two. He also hit one with a pitch.

However, Alexander Central, one of four teams to enter Tuesday in a tie for first place in the NWC, rallied in the sixth. Logan Chapman had a two-out double that drove in a run and Adam Sigmon followed with an two-run single.

Earlier in the inning, Josh Fox drove in the Cougars’ first run with a fielder’s choice.

Watauga answered with a two-out double by Martin, but he was stranded as the game ended. Watauga finished with four hits in the game, three off of Sigmon, the Cougars’ starting pitcher.

Sigmon struck out eight Pioneers in six innings, before being pulled in favor of Joe Caudle, who picked up the save. Sigmon looked strong in the sixth inning, but had thrown 116 pitches when he was through.

Alexander Central 4, Watauga 2
Alexander Central 000 004 0 — 4 4 0
Watauga 000 110 0 — 2 4 0
Sigmon, Caudle (7) and Russell. Moore, Moyer (6) and Church. W—Sigmon, L—Moore. S—Caudle. LOB—Alexander Central 4, Watauga 4. 2B—Alexander Central, Chapmam; Watauga, Watauga, Martin. SB—Alexander Central, Chapman, Latham; Watauga, Moyer. SH—Watauga, Martin.