HV falls to South in TRC clash
Published 10:58 pm Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Despite a strong pitching effort from Taylor Hurley on Tuesday night at Cannon-Gouge Park, the Happy Valley Warriors simply did not hit well enough in the clutch to hold off Sullivan South. The Rebels did collect the clutch hits on this night and scored a 6-1 Three Rivers Conference victory over Happy Valley.
Hurley pitched 5.1 innings, striking out 11 and walking just two while surrendering four runs on six hits.
“We had our opportunities tonight,” Warriors head coach Brad Hill said. “You have got to give South credit, they pitched really well and Fields made a highlight reel catch in centerfield off a ball hit by Dustun Sams. That was probably one of the hardest balls we have hit all year.”
The Warriors (3-7, 2-3 TRC) left a total of 10 men on base in this one and twice left the bases loaded.
“No one is running away with the conference right now,” Hill said. “We put ourselves in a hole at 2-3, but I don’t think we are completely out of it. We have had some tough luck so far, but I think once we get guys hitting in the right situations it might be a different story.”
South (5-2, 4-1 TRC) scored a pair of runs in the top of the first with Seth Worley reaching on an infield error, and Lane Williams beating out a bunt down the first base line. Marcus Williams then delivered a double to right centerfield to plate both runners and stake Rebel starter Riley Grills to an early lead.
“Grills did a good job on the mound for South,” Hill said. “We just were unable to get the clutch hit. It was a tremendous effort from Taylor. His first start after pitching in the bullpen. He looked great, and we decided to give him the ball, and we couldn’t ask any more out of him.”
The game remained at 2-0 through three innings until the Rebels scratched out a run in the fourth. With two outs and a runner at second designated hitter, Chase Bowery hammered a double to right to make it a 3-0 South lead.
The Rebels scored single runs in each of the last three innings afterward with Logan Dade delivering RBI doubles in the fifth and seventh frames and in the sixth it was a bunt single off the bat of Lane Williams that plated Worley from third.
Happy Valley had a golden opportunity in the last of the fourth as the Warriors loaded the bases with no outs. Bart Wilson opened with a single, and Hunter Jones was hit by a pitch, and Will Hampton reached on an infield hit.
Tyler Hurley then plated a run with a single to deep shortstop, but Grills bore down and got Sage Haun to pop to second. He then struck out Taylor Hurley and got Bailey Conley to fly out to short right field.
In the last of the seventh with Conley aboard on a double, Landon Morefield blasted a shot over the foul pole in left field that was ruled foul by the home plate umpire and the Warriors could not push the run across.
Sullivan South 6-1
Sullivan South 200 111 1 – 6 8 0
Happy Valley 000 100 0 – 1 6 2
W – Grills L – Ta. Hurley
DP – HV 1, SS 1. LOB – HV 10, SS 8. 2B – Conley, Dade 2, Bowery, M. Williams.
