Tyler Blythe
Jennings County tied the score against Columbus North in the top of the seventh inning of Thursday’s baseball game.
Tyler Blythe made sure it wasn’t going to go to extra innings.
With two out and bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Blythe delivered a walkoff single to give the Bull Dogs a 5-4 win over the Panthers.
“It’s like that dream at-bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the inning,” Blythe said. “I was just hoping to put something in play and not strike out and give us a chance to win the game, and that’s what I did.”
Jennings (7-4) outhit North (6-2-1) 12-10, but the problem for the Panthers was getting the runners across the plate. They stranded 10 runners in the game, with many of them in scoring position.
“Luke Harmon did a really good job on the mound, and Dyllan Redmon also did a really good job on the mound. The credit goes to them in coming through in tough spots, whether it’s getting a strikeout or getting a popup or the defense coming in and making a really big play” North coach Pat Antone said.
Jennings got on the board on the first inning with an RBI-single from Logan McIntosh and grew the lead in the top of the third with an RBI-single from Cole Sigler to lead 2-0. The Bull Dogs answered back in the bottom of the third when Blythe led off the inning with a double. Dillon James walked, and a fielder’s choice that ended up with the runner ruled safe loaded the bases. Will Baker smacked a double that hit the center field fence that emptied the bases and gave North a 3-2 lead. Baker later scored on a passed ball to make it 4-2 after three innings.
“(Baker) always seems to be the guy that can spark the energy,” Antone said. “He’s done it the entire season, and I have no doubt that he’s going to continue to do that throughout the year whether it be at the plate or on the mound.”
The Panthers cut it to 4-3 in the top of the fourth with an RBI-single from Keegan Manowitz, and eventually tied the score in the top of the seventh with an RBI-single from Austin Byford. That set the stage for Blythe’s walkoff hit in the bottom half of the inning.
For the Bull Dogs, Redmon and Blythe each went 3 for 4 with a double, and Baker was 1 for 4 with a double. Redmon also earned the win for the Bull Dogs after coming in relief of Harmon in the seventh inning.
For the Panthers, McIntosh, Jacob Vogel and Luke Ownbey all went 2 for 4. McIntosh took the loss for the Panthers on the mound after coming in relief for starter Sigler in the sixth inning.
