The first pitch of the high school baseball season has been thrown, and two local teams came out as winners, Sandy Creek and Starr’s Mill.

Sandy Creek’s Duncan Midkiff put Northgate in an early hole in the teams’ season opener, swatting a first-pitch solo home run over the center field fence in the first inning.

Northgate’s Derek Hooper hit a one-out triple to right field and later scored on a grounder by Kyle LaChance to tie the game for Northgate in the bottom half of the inning.

A single, an error and two walks enabled Creek to come back and retake the lead in the top of the second inning.

Creek added to its lead in the third, scoring four runs, including three on a homer by Avery Anderson that sailed over the center field fence and put the Patriots in front 6-1.

Northgate rallied with an RBI single by Danny Cain, an RBI single by LaChance, an error by Creek and a sacrifice fly by Cory Scott.

The Vikings tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a double by pinch-hitter Casey Wilson.
Creek’s Russell Bonner brought home the winning run on a grounder to second in the sixth.
Northgate had a chance to pull out the victory in the bottom of the seventh, with runners on the corners, but Creek picked off a runner in a rundown, struck out a batter and ended the game by inducing a groundout.

Starr’s Mill opened its season Wednesday with a convincing 11-1 victory over the Lovejoy Wildcats.

Ed Cook, Tyler Claburn and Ken Jackson combined to pitch a one-run, two-hit, seven-strikeout, no-walks game.

Claburn was the winning pitcher.

Jeff Stock (2-for-2) and Cook (1-for-1) each had three RBI to lead Starr’s Mill’s offense.

McIntosh lost its season opener, 18-8, to Salem.

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