ELIZABETHTON – With the season on the line and a sectional series at stake, North Greene gritted out a tough 6-3 win, defeating Washburn in the Region 1-1A Runner Up Game at Milligan University.
“A lot of emotions. I Just can’t say enough about the boys and the way they competed. I felt like our mentality was good the first game against UH and we played good. I just had a good feeling that we were dialed in and ready to play,” Head Coach Jamey Palmer stated.
For the Huskies, this one may have been a little sweeter than most. They were able to eliminate the same exact team that ended their season in the same game a year prior. At times it seemed as if Washburn would make the comeback and eliminate the Huskies two years in-a-row, but that’s when Coach Palmer reminded his team.
“We’re Huskies. We fight. They proved it.”
After Washburn tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth, North Greene came right back to score three in the top of the seventh. Tyler Britton started on the bump, but was taken out after 4 1/3 innings. After Brady Malone came in for relief and allowed three base runners through two separate innings, Britton took the mound again and finished the job.
“He’s a big-time player. Honestly, I didn’t hardly sleep all night thinking about who I was going to throw against UH the first game. It was a toss-up, so I decided to go with Brady against UH, but I wanted to keep him ready for this game as well. That’s when I decided to throw Tyler in the elimination game. Tyler’s a gamer. He knows how to win,” Palmer explained. He continued with, “He’s a dawg. I was glad to have him there.”
Britton finished with 6 1/3 innings on the mound with six hits, three strikeouts, and only on earned run.
The Huskies delivered 12 hits and had three multi-hit performers. Isaac Gaby, Jake Duffy, and Christian Cogdill all went 2-for-4 in the win. Five RBIs were recorded by five different players. Jake Duffy led them with two runs.
Of course the Huskies needed more clutch defensive plays too. Another bases loaded double play by Isaac Gaby helped them escape a tough jam in the fifth inning and the Huskies tracked down a roaming Pirate at third base in the third inning.
North Greene travels to Coalfield on Wednesday for their Class 1A sectional series. The Yellow Jackets ended the season as the No. 2 team in the Class 1A polls. Coalfield ended North Greene’s season two years ago in the same series.
The Huskies started slow compared to Friday’s hot start and collected a hit in each of the first two innings. Isaac Gaby delivered a big triple in the first, but could not receive any help to score. Owen Pierce hit a single to left field in the second, but same as before, no one helped him out.
Washburn scored one in the third inning to draw first blood. A two-out single scored a runner from third.
Every time Washburn scored, it seemed North Greene felt that pressure and applied more back.
The Huskies put up a three-spot in the top of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. Jake Duffy led off with a single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. Brady Malone landed a two-RBI double into center field and scored Duffy from second. Malone stole third base and scored on Owen Pierce’s groundout in the next at bat.
When the bases emptied with two outs, the Huskies proceeded to hit four-straight singles to score the final run of the frame. Christian Cogdill, Jackson Britton, and Wyatt Burns loaded the bases. Jaiden Bailey beat out a single to help Cogdill score from third to end the scoring run.
An error with two outs let Washburn score another run in the bottom of the fourth to bring the score to 3-2. They threatened to score in the fifth when they loaded the bags with one out, but yet another double play turned by Isaac Gaby helped end the inning. He caught a line out at shortstop and fired it over to Pierce at first to double off the runner.
The Pirates tied the game in the bottom of the sixth on a double steal of second and home. Even though the runner was safe at home, the runner to second wanted to rush towards third and was thrown out by Cogdill. The player at the plate flew out two pitches later and would’ve opened the door for a tag up from third had Cogdill not thrown him out.
When the seventh inning rolled around North Greene woke the bats up again. Isaac Gaby started with a one-out single and worked his way to third with a steal of second and advanced to third on an error. Jake Duffy singled to left field and Gaby scored in the process to take a 4-3 lead. Tyler Britton singled next to give them two base runners. Owen Pierce hit a grounder and reached first on an error and helped Duffy round third to score. Cogdill laid down an RBI-single next to help Britton score.
Washburn had a two-out hit in the bottom of the seventh, but a lineout to Brady Malone at third ended the game and the Huskies rejoiced.
North Greene is headed back to sectionals with a 6-3 win over Washburn. They travel to Coalfield on Wednesday for a best of three series.
Before they were placed with Washburn they suffered an 8-1 loss to University High in the Region 1-1A Championship. North Greene had five hits from five different players, but could only score once. Brady Malone and Jackson Britton both pitched three innings each in the loss. They allowed 11 hits, 7 earned runs, and 5 walks.
Brady Malone scored Jake Duffy on an RBI-single to score that one lone run.
