Bulldogs topple Unaka in non-conference play
Published 2:38 pm Friday, April 19, 2024
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton starting pitcher Noah Nichols (40) fires a warm-up pitch between the top and bottom of the first inning as the Bulldogs play at Unaka Thursday evening.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Bulldog second baseman Chase Davenport (33) lands after making a leaping catch on a soft liner off the bat of Unaka’s Jaycob Nidiffer (7) for the first out of the bottom of the first inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Bulldog shortstop Chance Point (2) almost overruns an infield fly ball off the bat of Unaka’s Robert Humphrey (6) but settles under it for the second out of the bottom half of the first.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Rangers southpaw Conner Vines (99) delivers a warm-up pitch prior to the top of the second inning against the Bulldogs of Hampton Thursday evening.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s Chase Davenport (33) slaps an RBI double down the left-field line in the top of the second inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs' Jayden Kuhn (20) drops down and drives the ball to center for a two-run RBI double in the top of the second inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs' Jayden Kuhn (20) is caught stealing third as Unaka’s Robert Humphrey (6) applies the tag for the final out of the top of the second inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Rangers' Brycen Eggers (14) pulls his hands in and slaps a dribbler that gets through Hampton third baseman Bryce Fagan’s legs for a single in the bottom of the second inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s Chase Davenport (33) is just a little late with a tag in a pick-off attempt of the Rangers' Micah Gray (30) in the bottom of the second inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldogs' Chance Point (2) applies the tag for the final out of the second inning to Unaka’s James Davison (4) as he tries to steal second base.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Rangers' Rylan Crabtree (15) slides safely home as Hampton’s Jayden Kuhn (20) waits on the throw from center in the bottom of the third.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders The Rangers' Robert Humphrey (6) slaps the tag on Hampton’s Elisha Henson (27) as he tries to steal home for the first out of the top of the third inning.
Star Photo/Larry N. Souders Hampton’s Elisha Henson (27) leads off the top of the third with a rope down the right-field line for a long single.
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STAR CORRESPONDENT
For six innings on Thursday night at Claude Holsclaw Field of Dreams, Unaka and Hampton competed and played a good baseball game. In the seventh inning with the score standing at 13-10 in Hampton’s favor, things took a turn for the ridiculous.
The Bulldogs (6-11 overall) scored 18 runs on 10 hits with a minimum of four Ranger errors thrown in the mix as Hampton took a 31-10 win.
“This was not the prettiest brand of baseball,” Hampton head coach Nick Perkins said. “But you should never have to apologize for a win. Instead I want to highlight the performances of Parker Williams and Landon Buchanan. I thought that with the bats in their hands they both showed well for themselves.”
Williams finished 3-for-3 with a walk and was also hit by a pitch while Buchanan had a pair of hits and a walk with each scoring multiple runs. Catcher Jaden Kuhn finished 5-for-6 with four runs batted in and Noah Nichols was also a hit machine on this day with five hits and five RBI.
“All Jaden Kuhn has done since he entered our baseball program is hit,” Perkins said.
Hampton took a 7-0 lead after an inning and one third but Unaka battled back against Nichols who started on the bump for the ‘Dogs with Rylan Crabtree opening with a double to centerfield. An infield error and a walk loaded the bases and a walk to Cameron Prince brought home a run and a wild pitch plated another.
Unaka closed to 8-5 in the third frame as Jaycob Nidiffer singled, Robert Humphrey walked and Logan Lewis had a two RBI single. Brycen Eggers also had an RBI base knock in the stanza. Hampton plated a pair of runs in the top of the fifth and Unaka answered with two runs in the last of the sixth.
That made the score 13-10 and Unaka went with Micah Gray to pitch the seventh and he was not up to the task on this day as it looked like batting practice for the next 20-plus minutes as Hampton hammered hit after hit and a seemingly endless parade of runners cross home plate.
When the carnage was finished the Bulldogs had rapped out 10 hits had three hit batters and a pair of walks. Kuhn pitched a scoreless seventh inning setting the Rangers down in order.
Hampton 31-10
Hampton 161 320 (18) – 31 25
Unaka 023 302 0 – 10 11
W – Lyons L – Vines
2B – Davenport, Kuhn, Crabtree (2), Prince, Point.
