The North Greene baseball team jumped on top of Unaka early and cruised to an 18-4 win on Tuesday evening.
“We came out being patient at the plate. Happy Valley is a good team with some good wins,” North Greene coach Jamey Palmer said. “I’m proud of these guys for being disciplined, and then coming up with some good hits when we needed them. They did a good job of hitting with two outs and I’m very proud of them.”
The Huskies earned 11 hits, walked nine times and were hit by four pitches as they kept runners on base all night long. In total 12 Huskies reached base in the win.
Isaac Gaby was 3-for-4 with two doubles and five RBIs. Tyler Britton went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Colten Suggs had two RBIs, and Owen Pierce had a double with four RBIs.
“We’ve been preaching all year about trying to see seven or eight pitches during an at bat,” Palmer said. “That puts a lot pressure on the pitcher. We saw two or three pitchers in the first inning because we were patient. A lot of guys having quality at bats was important tonight.”
The night started with North Greene scoring nine runs in the first inning. Isaac Gaby earned the first hit when he slammed an RBI double into centerfield.
The first six batters North Greene sent to the plate reached safely with three walks, two hits and a hit batter that led to a 4-0 lead and a pitching change.
Britton moved the lead to 7-0 with a two-run single, and Gaby made it 8-0 with his second double of the inning, this one made it through the right side of the infield. Pierce was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score the final run of the frame.
North Greene did not slow down in the second inning and scored seven runs to stretch the lead to 16-0.
An error, two walks and a hit batter scored Suggs for the first run. Gaby knocked in two runs with a line-drive single to left field. Pierce followed by sending a two-run double deep into left field. He scored when Suggs got a ground ball to bounce past the shortstop.
Happy Valley scored two runs in the third inning. Both crossed when Lane Parker grounded out to the shortstop.
North Greene went in front 18-2 in the bottom of the third. With the bases loaded Gaby hit a groundball to the shortstop, and Issac Haley scored when the ball was dropped at the plate. A groundout by Christian Cogdill allowed Jaiden Bailey to score.
Happy Valley scored two more runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Fermin Carrrilo Estrada reached on an error, but Britton at shortstop eliminated him with a double play.
Grady Goulds used a double to right field to score Mikey Hampton from first. Another shot to right field scored Goulds.
In the final inning North Greene got to mix up the lineup and give some of the younger players valuable varsity experience ahead of postseason play.
“I wish I could get those guys in more, but its valuable to get them in the game right now,” Palmer said. “It was good to get Isaac (Gaby) on the mound and get him some work. Then we got some younger guys in different spots on defense, and I’m proud of how they played.
Aidan Halley earned the win on Tuesday. In four innings he struck out two, walked one and allowed two hits.
