Royston And Offense Roll In Rebound Vs. North!

Caleb Royston's story has been told multiple times, his surviving a horrific wreck before a football game in the fall, and his gutsy determination in working to battle back for baseball season.  The story keeps getting better and better!  Travis Caleb Royston, 24 hours after we suffered a tough loss in our 2021 conference opener at Sullivan North, took the ball on the mound and was really good.  The Junior right hander pitched six innings, throwing 95 pitches, 59 of them for strikes.  "Roy" struck out 10 Sullivan North Raider hitters to earn his first win of the 2021 season on the mound.  Morgan Lyons pitched the 7th inning in our 9-4 win, displaying the pitching skill he regularly displayed as a 2019 freshman!  

The story for Tuesday, March 30 could end there, but it does not because it was a big day at Scotty Bunton Field.  The Bulldogs recorded 12 hits as a team, the second most hits in a game since Coach Perkins took over as head coach (Hampton had 13 hits at Cloudland in March of 2018).  This was significant not only because it was so needed, but because our hitting coach, Jason Davenport (and assistant coach, Jayden Joiner) has continued to work dilligently with our hitters on their approach at the plate, their hitting movements, and their setup once they step into the batters box.

Hitting Notes From Monday, March 30:
Chance Point went 3-4.  The freshman now has a .500 batting average on the season, using his speed to his fullest advantage.  

*Morgan Lyons is starting to shake the rust off from basketball, as he had a base hit on Monday, another base hit on Tuesday, and hit a Triple over the North centerfielder's head on Tuesday.  Lyons collected 3 RBI on the day.   

*What Conor Jones is doing is most impressive, learning baseball on the fly at the high school Varsity level.  The strong, competitive, athletic right handed hitter had his first two high school base hits, two line drives up the middle vs. the Raiders from Sullivan County.  

*Collin Morgan has been pressing, trying a little too hard.  Tuesday night was a game the big left hander needed, as he went 2-4 with a towering home run over the right field wall in the bottom of the 6th inning!  

*Josh Owens, Royston, and McKinley Kuhn all recored base knocks.  Mr. Kuhn is looking better and better at the plate.  

*Can't Forget Nolan Parker Henry's Big Play!
In the top of the 5th, with the Raiders attempting to rally, cutting the Bulldog lead to 8-4 with one out, the Bulldog centerfielder dove for a low line drive, snagging the ball and coming up firing for the infield.  A Sullivan North Raider had attempted to score from 3B, but the Bulldog dugout thought the runner attempted to score before going back to tagup on Henry's reception of the ball.  The field umpire agreed, and the rally was snuffed out, as he called the North runner out!  

*Like we said, it as a big, much needed night at Scotty Bunton Field.  We are scheduled to travel to play the Hancock County Indians on Thursday.