|
|
Local baseball fans who wanted to see base runners cross the plate came to the right place if they ventured out to Fike High on Thursday evening.
The Golden Demons engaged in an epic bat-swinging duel with visiting Goldsboro, coming out on top for a 16-15 win.
The Golden Demons of the 3-A Quad County Conference improved to 2-3 on the season while handing the Cougars their sixth straight loss to start the year.
Down 13-8 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, the Golden Demons exploded for seven runs to take a 15-13 lead, and would not cede the advantage on the scoreboard again.
In that fateful seventh inning, Fike batted around and sent 11 hitters to the plate
After J.D. Graziani led off the inning with a single, Spencer Bass, who went 3 for 3 on the night, doubled, and Luke Bedford (2 for 3) walked to load the bases. Graziani came home on a wild pitch, and singles from Blake Reason (3 for 4) and Jackson Barnes, along with a slew of Goldsboro errors, helped the Golden Demons take the lead.
After the teams traded runs in the fifth inning, Goldsboro plated a run in the top of the sixth, but that was as close as it got. Blake Reason earned the win on the mound for the Golden Demons.
“We clearly struggled defensively again tonight, but had some good battles at the plate,” texted Fike head coach Jay Wheeler. “This team showed a lot of fight, clawing back into the game all night.”
A walk, single and Fike error allowed Goldsboro to plate two runs in the top of the first before Fike took the lead in the bottom of that inning with a two-out rally. Graziani wore a pitch, Bass singled and Bedford and Reason each doubled to ensure Fike exited the first inning with the lead.
Goldsboro would take its five-run lead with a six-run third inning, but the Golden Demons had the response they needed at the plate time and again to come away with the victory.
Fike will start 3-A Quad County Conference play with a visit to Smithfield-Selma on Friday; the Spartans are 2-1 on the year.
