Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Fayette County edges Chiefs in 8th inning

When Fayette County and McIntosh met earlier this season, fans felt like they’d lose their fingers to frostbite. At last Friday’s game, in much balmier weather, fans kept their hands busy with lots of clapping, even into extra innings.

The Tigers prevailed 4-3 in eight innings to move to 14-7 overall and 7-4 in Region 4-AAAAA.

The two teams went scoreless through the first inning but McIntosh struck in the second when Brendan Hall hit a home run over the right-field wall. Fayette County answered in the bottom of the inning with a two-out rally. Kyle Redd got a hit, advanced to second after a walk, made to third off another walk and scored on a wild pitch. The Chiefs went down 1-2-3 in the third but Dan Cooper drove in a run in the bottom of the third to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

The score held the same way until the seventh inning, as Phillip Robinson and Trevor Pippen pitched well for the Tigers and the Chiefs, respectively. In the seventh, Dustin Hirschfeld led off with a hit and Hall got on base with a bunt and advanced to second after a wild throw got by the first baseman. Tyson Sandlin came to the plate with two outs and drove in Hirschfeld and Hall with a double.

In the bottom of the inning, Brent Moss drove in Michael Burton to tie the game. The Chiefs could not score in the eighth and Drew Ward drove in the winning run for Fayette County.

Robinson picked up the win for the Tigers.