Return to win

Bulldogs edge by Falcons

By MIKE DAVIS

TAZEWELL, Va. — The battle for the Southwest District baseball crown wound its’ way through the Tazewell Baseball Complex Wednesday evening as Abingdon took on the Bulldogs at Lou Peery Field. The Bulldogs were able to rally after falling behind by three runs to get a key 5-4 SWD win.

“We’re coming along a little it,” THS head coach Lou Peery said. “We started out with some sophomores and freshmen with a few veterans to help us along the way. The veterans are doing a good job leading us and the young players are doing their job in pulling the rope for them.”

A pitching duel between Tazewell freshman Zak Wasilewski and Zack Witt for the Falcons set the tone for much of the game which turned into a defensive chess match through the first few innings.

Abingdon (15-3, 9-1) came to the plate in the top of the opening frame looking to put the pressure on the freshman and flexed their bats against the young pitcher. The Falcons put the first two batters, Luke Hilt and Josh Barker, on the corners before the Bulldogs’ defense flexed and returned the favor.

Nathan Hagy came to the plate for the Falcons and put a bat on the ball for a pop up that looked like a lame duck falling in shallow center. Left fielder Dustin Dean turned on the burners and made the catch for the first out of the inning.

Hilt had made the break for home anticipating the ball to have fallen for a hit as Dean looked his way. Hilt put on the brakes and turned to head back to third attempting to get back to a safe haven. However, Dean kept his focus and fired the ball to Trey Lambert for a double play edging close to getting the Bulldogs out of trouble.

Abingdon wasn’t finished with their early assault and Zack Witt pummeled a line drive down the right field line for another Falcon hit that moved Barker over to third. Kenny Pope came to the dish for Abingdon hoping for a hit to bring his teammate 90 feet to break the tie.

An outside pitch beaned Pope on the numbers and he trotted aboard creating a bases loaded situation for the Falcons. Wasilewski was unnerved and faced up to the challenge by throwing a strikeout after building a 2-2 count to erase the scoring threat.

The teams set their feet in the sand and, other than a handful of scattered hits through the next three innings, no one was able to get past second base.

Then, in the home half of the fourth with two outs, Bruiser Moore singled to keep the order alive. Taylor Herald followed suit and found his pitch for a long ball to the outfield fence as Tazewell started to make some noise.

Heath Harris, who had come on to pinch run for Moore, got on his horse from first base and rounded third inviting the throw from the Abingdon outfield. Harris streaked down the line and was able to beat the throw home putting the Bulldogs ahead by a run.

The Falcons answered in their turn at the plate and laid down a couple of singles and a walk to juice the bases and created havoc for the Tazewell defense.

Abingdon made good on the promise and Taylor Read hit a hard shot past the Bulldogs infield and plated two runs with Hagy and Witt coming home.

Peery opted for a mound change and Mike Wood came to the hill.

Alexander Nadler came to the plate and stood in the box drawing a base on balls to load the bases for the second time in the frame. Heath Shelton came to the plate for the Falcons and drew another walk for an RBI as the Bulldogs looked to find their groove.

Abingdon was able to squeeze another run in to take a 4-1 lead before Tazewell got out of the jam.

The Bulldogs (14-3, 9-0) came out with a growl in the top of the fifth and put two runners on base with a walk by Dean and a single by Josh Mitchem to bring the tying run, Michael Ascue, to the plate. Ascue was careful with his chance and put the Falcons in trouble by putting the ducks on the pond when he drew a walk to load the bases.

Tazewell’s patience accounted for the payoff as they used a bases loaded situation to put Abingdon on their heels and plated five runs to overtake the Falcons and take a 5-4 lead.

The Bulldogs locked down their defense the rest of the way to compliment their fifth-inning effort and held the Falcons scoreless to get the win.

“Tazewell’s got a fine ball club,” Abingdon head coach Mike Francisco said.

“We didn’t have timely hitting and they did.”

Wood got the win for the Bulldogs and Witt got the loss after a complete game.

Tazewell hosts Carroll County this evening. Abingdon travels to Marion Friday night.



Abingdon.................................000 040 0 — 4 10 1

Tazewell...................................000 150 x — 5 5 0

Text Only