Hampton gains split with North
Published 9:03 pm Thursday, April 1, 2021
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Bulldog pitcher Caleb Royston winds up for the pitch Tuesday.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Left fielder Brody Hicks scoops up a single for Hampton Tuesday at home.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Hampton second baseman Chance Point goes for the out Tuesday evening at home.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Hampton's Collin Morgan darts for first after a single to center field.
Star Photo / Brandon Hyde Josh Owens goes for the out at third for the Bulldogs Tuesday evening at home.
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FROM STAFF REPORTS
After a disappointing loss to Sullivan North on Monday in Kingsport, Coach Nic Perkins and his Hampton Bulldogs pulled the stirrups up at Scotty Bunton Field in the second meeting against their conference rivals.
This time, the Bulldogs managed to return the favor as Hampton dealt the visiting Raiders a 9-4 loss to even their conference slate at 1-1 0n the season.
Starting pitcher Caleb Royston, who just a few months ago was involved in a serious car accident, toed the rubber for Hampton and didn’t disappoint as the junior went six innings in the contest striking out 10 North batters in the process to notch his first pitching victory of the 2021 season.
Morgan Lyons closed out the final inning on the hill for the ‘Dogs.
Hampton came with their bats charged and ready for the contest as the Bulldogs rapped out 12 hits as a team which according to Coach Perkins was the second most hits the Bulldogs have recorded since he took over the program.
The ‘Dogs had 13 hits at Cloudland in March of 2018.
Leading the way for Hampton was freshman Chance Point who finished with a 3-for-4 effort in the contest to raise his batting average to .500 for the season.
Conor Jones collected his first two high school hits in the contest by ripping the baseball up the middle on the North defense.
Lefty Colin Morgan also had a solid night at the dish going 2-for-4 while in the process launched a moon shot over the right-field fence in the bottom of the sixth inning that helped to seal the victory.
Josh Owens, Royston, and McKinley Kuhn also recorded hits for the Bulldogs.
The defensive play of the night came from centerfielder Parker Henry who made a diving play on a low line drive securing the catch and rifling the ball back to the infield.
A Raider baserunner left third too early on the play and was called out by the field umpire on a challenge from the Bulldog bench.
The Bulldogs were scheduled to travel to Hancock County on Thursday.
