y Dean Hensley
Times-News Staff Writer
Last Modified: Monday, March 23, 2009 at 11:26 p.m.
West Henderson’s brand-new scoreboard got a workout Monday night after just one inning and 10 Falcon runs against visiting Swain County, West coach Jim Hyatt’s alma mater.
But after the Falcons sent 15 batters to the plate in the first inning, their bats went cold to the tune of just a single run over the next five innings as they went on to win 11-6.
“We played them in our opening game of the season, and we won 21-0. Obviously, they have improved. I have to tip my hat to them, because they didn’t quit,” Hyatt said. “After that first inning, we did. We got that big lead, and we just kind of mailed it in.”
Swain starter Tim Smith had a rough outing, allowing the first seven batters he faced to reach base. Of those seven, six touched home plate. He went 1/3 of an inning, giving up six runs (none earned) off no hits, three walks and no strikeouts.
No. 9 hitter Matt Roberts got the first Falcon hit, knocking in Tyler Austin with an RBI single to right. Leadoff hitter Zac Beard, who reached earlier in the inning on an error, followed with an RBI single to right to plate Taylor Reeves. Tyler Isgett, Forrest Koontz and Daniel Hyatt followed with back-to-back-to-back RBI singles, pushing the West lead to 10-0.
But the Maroon Devils kept West (6-1) scoreless the next two innings and then made sure it would go more than five innings with three runs off one hit in the top of the fourth against Falcon starter Hyatt. Hyatt (4-0) stayed perfect on the year, though, going four innings and allowing three runs (none earned) off three hits. He had five strikeouts and no walks.
The fans who made the long drive from Swain roared in the next inning when Nick Lyons blasted a two-run home run over the new left-field wall, cutting the Falcon lead to 11-5.
George Welch got the final Swain run in the top half of the sixth with an RBI double to right off Falcon reliever Austin.
Beard (2-for-4), Koontz (2-for-3) and Reeves (2-for-3) were the only Falcons with multiple hits.
Up next for West is a showdown with powerful Enka on Friday night at 7 p.m.
“That’s going to be a good game. We’ve got to be ready. We can’t be like we were tonight and just turn it off. Baseball’s the kind of game where if you do turn it off, it’s very hard to turn it back on,” coach Hyatt said.
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