Pointers open with win 8-4 over West
Published 5:37 am Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com
WEST PORTSMOUTH — It was a team effort.
South Point used three pitchers and a collective offensive effort that included a big seventh inning rally as the Pointers beat the Portsmouth West Senators 8-4 on Tuesday in their season opener.
Alex Whitt, Chris Woodard and Logan Wade combined on a five-hitter for the Pointers.
Whitt went three scoreless innings, striking out four, walking two and not allowing a hit.
Woodard followed with 1.2 innings of work and Wade finished up to get the win. He struck out two, walked two, gave up two hits and one run.
South Point took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Trey Kearns walked and Whitt and Wade followed with singles.
The lead went to 3-0 in the third.
Kearns singled, stole second, took third on a fly out and scored on a passed ball. Woodard then walked, stole second and scored on two passed balls.
West got a run in the fourth on two walks, a fielder’s choice and Aaron Dyer’s RBI single.
The Senators tied the game with two runs in the fifth.
Cody Whiltshire walked, Wesley Book and Patrick Bays singled and Tyler Mauk reached on an error as the runners scored.
The Pointers took the lead for good with a run in the sixth when Woodard and Brandon Layne singled, Christian Pritchard walked and Drew Adams hit a sacrifice fly.
South Point got four much needed insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
Kearns walked, stole second and rode home on Whitt’s base hit. Wade singled, the runners moved up on a balk and scored when Tanner Hall was safe on an error.
West mounted a rally in the bottom of the inning.
Mauk was hit by a pitch, Slaid Bishop walked and Dyer had an RBI single.
Wade gave up another hit to Cody Finley but worked out of the jam to and give South Point the win.
Whitt and Wade both went 2-4 with an RBI to pace the Pointers’ seven-hit attack.
Dyer was 2-4 to pace West.
South Point 102 001 4 = 8 7 2
Ports. West 000 120 1 = 4 5 3
Alex Whitt, Chris Woodard (4), Logan Wade (5) and Christian Pritchard. Pat Bays, Rapp (4), Marty Knittel (7) and Cody Wiltshire. W-Wade (IP-2.1, K-2, BB-2, H-2, R-1, HBP-1). Whitt (IP-3, K-4, BB-2, H-0, R-0. Woodard (IP-1.2, H-3, R-3, K-1, BB-3, HBP-1). L-Rapp IP-3, K-2, BB-2, H-4, R-4). Hitting–SP: Alex Whitt 2-4 rbi, Logan Wade 2-4 rbi, Trey Kearns 1-2, Chris Woodard 1-3, Tanner Hall rbi-2, Brandon Layne 1-4, Drew Adams SF rbi, Douglas Shaffer 1-3; PW: Wesley Book 1-4, Patrick Bays 1-4, Aaron Dyer 2-4 rbi, Cody Finley 1-4, Tyler Mauk rbi-2.