Cyclones conquer Vikings in middle school baseball affair
Published 9:30 pm Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Cyclones Catcher Blaine Tolley tries to get an out at home as a Vikings player slides in.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde J.D. Hooks was everywhere Monday evening for TA Dugger, but came up a bit short after an attempted steal to third.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Justin Whitehead took over pitcing duty for TA Dugger late in the game Monday evening.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Cyclone's Brayden Buckles dives for second base after a pick off attempt by the Viking's pitcher.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde The great escape! J.D. Hooks gets caught in a rundown after a hasty decision to steal second and somehow miraculously makes it back to first.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Cyclone's Seth Campbell gets a single to center field, driving in Rhett Slagle for a score.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde J.D. Hooks starred in his own highlight reel Monday evening at Riverside Park as he made a spectacular catch on a pop fly.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Cyclone's Short Stop Steaven Meadows snags an infield grounder and makes the throw to first for an out.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde TA Dugger takes a time out to talk strategy Monday evening at Riverside Park.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde J.D. Hooks dives for safety after narrowly escaping a rundown.
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BY NIC MILLER
STAR CORRESPONDENT
With the first day of Spring kicking off only a few days ago, many high schools and middle school baseball teams are well underway in the 2021 campaign.
Among those teams are the T.A. Dugger Cyclones who played host to the Vance Middle School Vikings on Monday evening at Northeast Community Credit Union Ballpark.
Things were quiet in terms of offensive production for both squads until the bottom of the second inning when the Cyclones Seth Campbell would hit a shot to left field, a single that would bring home one run in the form of starting pitcher Rhett Slagle.
But the scoring would continue in the next at-bat for T.A. Dugger when Blaine Tolley would ground out, but not before bringing home Jackson Buckles to make it a two-run affair heading into the third frame.
The bottom of the third inning brought with it another barrage of runs for the home team as Bryson Rowland would collect an RBI with an infield single before being brought in himself along with Slagle on double to right field by Jackson Buckles.
Heading into the fourth inning it was the Cyclones beginning to run away with it, 5-0.
The action picked back up in the late stages where, with two outs remaining in the game, the Vikings would finally get on the board with a ground out by Caden Musick that scored a run followed by a bunt by Braden Howard that would bring two runs across.
And the late game rally would continue for Vance as they would score one more run on a wild pitch with one out remaining in the affair.
But moments after the margin was brought to within one run, the Cyclones would be able to close things out, going on to win by a slim advantage of 5-4.
In the contest, the Cyclones totaled five runs on four hits committed no errors in the contest, and left four runners stranded.
For the visiting Vikings, they totaled four runs on two hits while committing no errors and leaving four men on base.
