Watts pitches Pioneers to win
by Steve Behr Sports Editor
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugadeomcrat.com
One day after pulling off the biggest comeback of the season, Watauga's baseball team held off North Davidson to take a 5-3 victory at Watauga's field Saturday.
Jake Watts pitched five hitless innings before his potential no-hitter was broken up when Landon Lassiter roped a double into left field with two outs in the sixth inning. Until then, Watts cruised through a lineup that beat Watauga 4-3 earlier in the season by striking out six batters and walking just two.
"I didn't know about it," Watts said of his no-hit bid. "Somebody told me after I came out."
Watauga built a 5-0 lead before Lassiter's double. He eventually scored on a Trevor Hinson double before Watts was pulled with the Pioneers clinging to a 5-3 lead.
Watts said he was able to get his curve ball and his slider over the plate, which helped get North Davidson'.s hitters out. Pioneers coach Pete Hardee agreed.
"He did a good job," Hardee said. "He kept his fastball down and he kept getting his breaking pitch over for a strike. He got a little tired late in the game, but he pitched a great game and did what we needed him to do."
Josh Wyant, who usually plays second base, came on in relief and struck out Adam Leonard to end the sixth. Wyant tossed a scoreless seventh inning to seal the win.
"Josh Wyant came in and did a great job," Hardee said. "He's done that for us before in other games and he just did a great job."
Wyant had the big hit in the first inning when his two-out single drove in Cal Hardee, who had singled in a run earlier in the inning, and David Martin.
Ryan Turner delivered a two-run single in the third, scoring Hardee and Baker Stanley, to give the Pioneers a 5-0 lead. Watauga finished with 11 hits, getting two from Martin, Hardee and Tyler Jones. Linnville and Hardee each cracked doubles for the Pioneers.
The end of the game was somewhat different than the first meeting between the teams. Watauga held a 3-0 lead going into the sixth inning, but made three errors and walked three batters to allow the Knights to score four runs and win the game.
It was the first of three games the Pioneers had lost in the last inning. Watauga also dropped a tough 5-4 decision to A.C. Reynolds and a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to rival South Caldwell in eight innings after having a 3-2 lead and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The game was played one day after the Pioneers rallied for a 5-4 win in eight innings over Fred T. Foard after trailing the Tigers 4-0 after the top half of the first inning.
North Davidson was coming off a loss to West Forsyth the previous night.
"It was a tale of two teams because we had a big emotional win the night before so we might be emotionally drained, and North Davidson took a real hard loss to West Forsyth, so we didn't know what kind of team they were bringing in," Hardee said. "We always know they'll have their teams ready to play and they did."
Watauga hosts Northwestern Conference rival Alexander Central Tuesday.
Watauga 5, North Davidson 3
North Davidson 000 003 0 - 3 4 1
Watauga 302 000 X - 5 11 1
Secrest, Tippett (6) and White. Watts, Wyant (6) and Martin. W-Watts (1-0), L-Secrest. S-Wyant (1). LOB-North Davidson 4, Watauga 6. 2B-North Davidson, Lassiter, Hinson; Linnville, Hardee. SB-Watauga, Roberts. SH-Watauga, Stanley. HBP-Watauga, Turner (by Tippett).
sports@wataugadeomcrat.com
One day after pulling off the biggest comeback of the season, Watauga's baseball team held off North Davidson to take a 5-3 victory at Watauga's field Saturday.
Jake Watts pitched five hitless innings before his potential no-hitter was broken up when Landon Lassiter roped a double into left field with two outs in the sixth inning. Until then, Watts cruised through a lineup that beat Watauga 4-3 earlier in the season by striking out six batters and walking just two.
"I didn't know about it," Watts said of his no-hit bid. "Somebody told me after I came out."
Watauga built a 5-0 lead before Lassiter's double. He eventually scored on a Trevor Hinson double before Watts was pulled with the Pioneers clinging to a 5-3 lead.
Watts said he was able to get his curve ball and his slider over the plate, which helped get North Davidson'.s hitters out. Pioneers coach Pete Hardee agreed.
"He did a good job," Hardee said. "He kept his fastball down and he kept getting his breaking pitch over for a strike. He got a little tired late in the game, but he pitched a great game and did what we needed him to do."
Josh Wyant, who usually plays second base, came on in relief and struck out Adam Leonard to end the sixth. Wyant tossed a scoreless seventh inning to seal the win.
"Josh Wyant came in and did a great job," Hardee said. "He's done that for us before in other games and he just did a great job."
Wyant had the big hit in the first inning when his two-out single drove in Cal Hardee, who had singled in a run earlier in the inning, and David Martin.
Ryan Turner delivered a two-run single in the third, scoring Hardee and Baker Stanley, to give the Pioneers a 5-0 lead. Watauga finished with 11 hits, getting two from Martin, Hardee and Tyler Jones. Linnville and Hardee each cracked doubles for the Pioneers.
The end of the game was somewhat different than the first meeting between the teams. Watauga held a 3-0 lead going into the sixth inning, but made three errors and walked three batters to allow the Knights to score four runs and win the game.
It was the first of three games the Pioneers had lost in the last inning. Watauga also dropped a tough 5-4 decision to A.C. Reynolds and a heartbreaking 5-4 loss to rival South Caldwell in eight innings after having a 3-2 lead and two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The game was played one day after the Pioneers rallied for a 5-4 win in eight innings over Fred T. Foard after trailing the Tigers 4-0 after the top half of the first inning.
North Davidson was coming off a loss to West Forsyth the previous night.
"It was a tale of two teams because we had a big emotional win the night before so we might be emotionally drained, and North Davidson took a real hard loss to West Forsyth, so we didn't know what kind of team they were bringing in," Hardee said. "We always know they'll have their teams ready to play and they did."
Watauga hosts Northwestern Conference rival Alexander Central Tuesday.
Watauga 5, North Davidson 3
North Davidson 000 003 0 - 3 4 1
Watauga 302 000 X - 5 11 1
Secrest, Tippett (6) and White. Watts, Wyant (6) and Martin. W-Watts (1-0), L-Secrest. S-Wyant (1). LOB-North Davidson 4, Watauga 6. 2B-North Davidson, Lassiter, Hinson; Linnville, Hardee. SB-Watauga, Roberts. SH-Watauga, Stanley. HBP-Watauga, Turner (by Tippett).