JOHNSON CITY – Happy Valley scored early and often on Thursday evening at Cardinal Park and held off the Hampton Bulldogs 11-4 in a non-conference baseball clash. The Warriors (4-6) pushed eight runs across in the second and third innings against Bulldogs starting pitcher Parker Henry to establish a 9-0 lead and cruised from there.
Catcher Zach Workman drove in a first-inning run with a base knock that plated Bart Wilson, and in the second frame Hunter Smith had an RBI hit, and Dylan Willis plated two runs with a single to center. A ground ball out from Jacob Absher made it a 5-0 contest.
“We were able to make the adjustment to his curveball and put the ball in play with some authority this evening,” Warriors manager Brad Hill said of Henry. “What we talked about before the game was to put together good at-bats and look at more pitches and put pressure on the defense.”
HV stole six bases in this one and advanced a base on seven wild pitches or passed balls and scored a pair of runs off the errant tosses. Workman finished the day 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and one RBI, while Willis and Dylan McKeehan each drove in a pair of runs for HV.
Senior Bryce Carter opened on the mound for HV and worked 4.1 innings giving up one run on one hit. He walked four and struck out two. In the fifth Carter walked Noah Laughters to open the stanza and one out later he issued a free pass to Weston Street before giving way to Hunter Smith.
Smith retired Henry on a ground ball, and the Warriors were one out away from a mercy rule win with an 11-0 lead, but Dalton Rouse delivered a two-run single to right. A wild pitch brought another run to the plate, and Caleb Royston singled home another run as Hampton cut the lead to 11-4 and kept the game going.
“We needed to find a way to finish that fifth inning,” Hill said. “With the injuries, we have right now we have to save on pitching. Give Hampton a lot of credit for scoring those four runs. Dalton Rouse is a good player and their shortstop Royston is as well.”
The Dogs (0-7) showed no quit despite being what manager Nicholas Perkins called “the walking wounded” and he said of his teams’ effort, “I’m proud of my kids. Despite being in a difficult season, they are sticking together as a team. We may have two starting pitchers out and freshmen all across the field, but no one is feeling sorry for you. We’ll continue to work hard and improve.”
Rouse and Royston each had two hits for the Bulldogs who next face Providence Academy.
Happy Valley 11-4
Hampton 000 040 0 – 4 6 3
Happy Valley 144 200 x – 11 10 1
W – Carter L – Henry