It took extra innings, but the Caldwell County Tigers won for the 10th time in the last 11 games Friday evening. The Tigers got a walk off double from Bryce Thomas as they turned back the Union County Braves 8-7 in Princeton.
The Tigers had to rally from behind in the game, as Union County jumped to a 6-2 lead after two innings. The Braves took advantage of a couple of hits, a walk, and a Caldwell County lead to get two runs in the top of the first.
Caldwell County used a Jase Felker triple and a Union County error to tie the game in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the second inning, the Braves got to Caldwell County hurler Gabe East for five hits, and scored four runs to get out to the 6-2 lead. Then, the Tiger rally got underway.
In the 4th inning, Caldwell County got a sacrifice fly from Tate VanHooser and an RBI single from Ty Ramey to cut the lead to 6-4. In the 5th, Gabe East hit a solo shot to right field to trim the lead further down to 6-5. In the bottom of the 6th, Jase Felker drew a bases loaded walk to score Oliver Parker and tie the game at 6-6.
The Tigers had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 7th, but N Brown grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
In the bottom of the 8th, the Tigers got a couple of walks, setting up Thomas’ heroics with two outs to end the game.
Bryce Thomas was 3-5 with the game winning RBI. Gabe East, Jase Felker, and Oliver Parker all had two hits for Caldwell County.
After a rough outing for starter Gabe East, who went 1 2/3 innings, the Tigers got great efforts from relievers Bryce Thomas and Jase Felker, who combined to limit Union County to no runs on one hit, and striking out ten over the last 6+ innings of game.