By Cecil Folds

Pitcher Luke Taylor faced 35 Hooper bats and pitched 118 pitches before pulling out a nail-biting win of 3-2 against the Colts after nine innings of play.

The Colts tied the game in the top of the seventh inning 2 – 2, throwing the game into overtime. 

Neither team was able to score in the eighth inning. Luke Taylor, along with a good defense backing him up, sat down 3 batters in a row at the top of the ninth.

In the bottom of the ninth, the first two batters that came to the plate struck out and put  the Eagles back at the top of the batting order with Braxton Daniels and Luke Taylor coming to the plate.

Hooper’s coach made the decision to intentionally walk these two batters.

The Colts attempted to set up a squeeze play with Eagles next batter, Sullivan Harold, coming to the plate, but he managed to pull a walk.

The Eagles had the bases loaded as left fielder Jason Little came to the plate as FDA’s last chance to keep from going into the tenth inning. Colt’s pitcher had 3 balls and 2 strikes on Little with 2 outs. The pitch was low and inside; Little nailed the pitch to center field, scoring the winning run. (3 – 2). The Fort Dale Eagles record this season with this win is 8 and 4.

Winning pitcher Luke Taylor faced 35 batters and pitched 118 pitches with 9 strike-outs, 2 walks and gave up 7 hits . The Eagles had 6 hits and 3 runs. Jason Little had 2 RBIs and Luke Taylor had 1 RBI.

In the AISA Class AAA Batting Average Leaders – Zach Winters CF AB -.500  Luke Taylor Pitcher – AB- .429 – Tripp Richardson  2B is in #6 place AB- .385