Watauga nine blanks Hibriten 10-0
by Steve Behr Sports Editor
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com
LENOIR - Watauga's first venture into the new Northwestern Conference proved to be a successful one.
The Pioneers chalked up a 10-0 victory at Hibriten after the game was moved to Lenoir because of a wet field at Watauga. The Pioneers belted out 12 hits and pitcher Dylan Norris tossed a six-inning shutout.
Norris walked three batters in the first inning and another that reached third base in the second, but settled down and walked just one batter the rest o the game. He struck out five and benefited from a defense that got the last out of the game when leftfielder John Roberts gunned down Hibriten's Brandon Curtis at the plate.
"He struggled a little bit in the second inning and I told him you can't walk a guy if you don't throw ball three," Watauga coach Pete Hardee said. "Just be more aggressive earlier in the count. He's got good enough stuff he can pitch to contact a little bit. He doesn't have to strike everybody out. He's got a good curveball that works well for him and his fastball had a good job on it."
Watauga (4-2, 1-0 NWC) got three singles and three RBIs from Josh Wyant, who was hitting in the eighth slot. No. 9 hitter Ryan Turner drove in a run with a safety squeeze in the fourth inning and two runs with a bases-loaded single in the fifth. Tyler Jones also had an RBI in the four-run fifth with a fielder's choice. Roberts scored the 10th run of the game in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch, which allowed the Pioneers to win by the 10-run mercy rule. Roberts re-entered the game as a runner after Garrison McGuire singled to get on base.
Pete Hardee moved Roberts up to the second part of the order and moved Wyant down to the eighth position. Ever since the move was made, both players have benefited, according to Hardee.
"Ever since we made that switch, Wyant's been on a tear," Hardee said. "I wouldn't mind switching it back, but I don't want to change anything up and you know how baseball coaches are. We get into a set pattern and stay with it as long as it's working."
Cal Hardee, who will be the starting pitcher Thursday night against South Caldwell, had two hits and drove in the first run of the game. David Martin, Matt Proffitt and Max Linnville also had singles for the Pioneers.
Cody Poarch had two hits, both singles, for Hibriten (3-2, 1-2). None of the hits by either team went for extra bases, though Hibriten's Julius Gaines was thrown out at second by Proffitt trying to stretch a single into a double.
"It was a good workmanlike win tonight," Pete Hardee said. "There wasn't anything spectacular about it. We got a good win on the road and that's what we needed out of the kids."
Watauga 10, Hibriten 0
Watauga 110 341 - 10 12 2
Hibriten 000 000 - 0 4 1
Norris and Martin. Beard, Turner (6) and Turner, Moore (6). W-Norris (1-1), L-Beard. LOB-Watauga 5, Hibriten 8. SB-Watauga, Linnville, Proffitt, Jones. SH-Turner.
sports@wataugademocrat.com
LENOIR - Watauga's first venture into the new Northwestern Conference proved to be a successful one.
The Pioneers chalked up a 10-0 victory at Hibriten after the game was moved to Lenoir because of a wet field at Watauga. The Pioneers belted out 12 hits and pitcher Dylan Norris tossed a six-inning shutout.
Norris walked three batters in the first inning and another that reached third base in the second, but settled down and walked just one batter the rest o the game. He struck out five and benefited from a defense that got the last out of the game when leftfielder John Roberts gunned down Hibriten's Brandon Curtis at the plate.
"He struggled a little bit in the second inning and I told him you can't walk a guy if you don't throw ball three," Watauga coach Pete Hardee said. "Just be more aggressive earlier in the count. He's got good enough stuff he can pitch to contact a little bit. He doesn't have to strike everybody out. He's got a good curveball that works well for him and his fastball had a good job on it."
Watauga (4-2, 1-0 NWC) got three singles and three RBIs from Josh Wyant, who was hitting in the eighth slot. No. 9 hitter Ryan Turner drove in a run with a safety squeeze in the fourth inning and two runs with a bases-loaded single in the fifth. Tyler Jones also had an RBI in the four-run fifth with a fielder's choice. Roberts scored the 10th run of the game in the top of the sixth on a wild pitch, which allowed the Pioneers to win by the 10-run mercy rule. Roberts re-entered the game as a runner after Garrison McGuire singled to get on base.
Pete Hardee moved Roberts up to the second part of the order and moved Wyant down to the eighth position. Ever since the move was made, both players have benefited, according to Hardee.
"Ever since we made that switch, Wyant's been on a tear," Hardee said. "I wouldn't mind switching it back, but I don't want to change anything up and you know how baseball coaches are. We get into a set pattern and stay with it as long as it's working."
Cal Hardee, who will be the starting pitcher Thursday night against South Caldwell, had two hits and drove in the first run of the game. David Martin, Matt Proffitt and Max Linnville also had singles for the Pioneers.
Cody Poarch had two hits, both singles, for Hibriten (3-2, 1-2). None of the hits by either team went for extra bases, though Hibriten's Julius Gaines was thrown out at second by Proffitt trying to stretch a single into a double.
"It was a good workmanlike win tonight," Pete Hardee said. "There wasn't anything spectacular about it. We got a good win on the road and that's what we needed out of the kids."
Watauga 10, Hibriten 0
Watauga 110 341 - 10 12 2
Hibriten 000 000 - 0 4 1
Norris and Martin. Beard, Turner (6) and Turner, Moore (6). W-Norris (1-1), L-Beard. LOB-Watauga 5, Hibriten 8. SB-Watauga, Linnville, Proffitt, Jones. SH-Turner.