Columbus North’s baseball team found a way to win its third consecutive game Friday, beating Floyd Central — but not without a little drama first.
The Bull Dogs gained an early two-run lead, but it took a walkoff RBI from Adam Chapman to earn a 3-2 win.
Pitcher Parker Maddox put North on the board with a two-run single in the third. He also struck out nine and helped stop the Highlanders from possibly taking the lead in the sixth with bases loaded.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryMaddox gave up two walks and a hit to put three runners on base with two out in the top of the sixth. With a 2-1 count, Maddox delivered a pitch that forced a fly ball to center field that landed in Chapman’s glove.
“That was huge,” North coach Ben McDaniel said. “… We were in a tough spot. He could have walked a guy in, could have given up any type of hit, but he was able to show some composure to compete and get himself out of it.”
Floyd Central (2-5), however, came back to tie the game in the top of the seventh. An RBI-single from Josh Gross gave the Highlanders some life. An RBI-double from Aaron Brown on a fly ball that North missed allowed Floyd Central to tie the game. Maddox ended the inning with a strikeout to give the Bull Dogs (7-2) a chance to take the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Jake Petrusky led off the seventh for North, and he did his job by getting on base with a single. Tyler Finke was then intentionally walked before Chapman stepped to the plate with just one out.
McDaniel preaches to his players to always put the ball on the ground instead of putting the ball in the air to force the defense to make a play. Chapman did just that and allowed Petrusky to score the game-winning run.
“At first we were down because they scored two runs on the fly ball, but then once (Petrusky) hit that, we were all pumped up,” Chapman said. “I knew he was going to throw me an off-speed (pitch) because he threw me four straight off-speed pitches on my other at bats instead of fastballs. So I just sat there and hit it up the middle.”
Chapman went 2 for 4 to lead North’s seven-hit attack.
