In a rematch of a game just 7 days earlier, the Avery Vikings played host to the Polk County Wolverines. Avery grabbed an advantage early in the game, but costly mistakes proved the difference as Polk took a 13-8 victory.
The Wolverines drew first blood when a passed ball allowed a runner from third to scamper home with the game's opening run. Avery rallied back quickly, however, as a towering two-run home run by senior pitcher Seth Phillips off Wolverines starter Brandon Jolley highlighted a four-run frame for the Big Red, staking the Vikings to a 4-1 edge after one inning.
Avery maintained its lead until the top of the third inning, where a one-out, three run home run by catcher Nick Jolley spearheaded a four-run Polk rally, helping the Wolverines regain the lead at 5-4. Following a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the frame, Polk added three runs on only one hit as a pair of Avery errors allowed the Wolverines to build an 8-4 margin.
Avery got a run back in the bottom half of the inning as second baseman Pedro Benavides singled and eventually came around to score on a Chris Childress RBI single. Polk negated the Avery run in the next half inning as a solo home run to right centerfield by second baseman J.P. Ruth off starter Seth Phillips made the score 9-5.
Over the next two innings, leadoff hitters got on base for the Vikings, but Avery could not bring any runners around to cross home.
Polk added a tenth run in the top of the sixth inning off Vikings reliever Chris Childress to lead 10-5, then tacked on three additional runs of insurance in the seventh to take a 13-5 edge. Childress struck out five Wolverines over his two innings of work, but also surrendered four walks and hit a batter.
In the bottom of the seventh and final frame, Avery rallied to score three runs off Polk reliever Nick Jolley, as pinch hitters Jack Buchanan and Luke Pittman each reached base, followed by a three-run home run down the right field line by Brooks Oakley. Unfortunately, the comeback bid ended as Jolley retired the next three hitters in order to close the contest.
"We made some errors, but we were able to take advantage of some of their early errors and score a few runs. The biggest thing for us right now is that we had a mental letdown out there tonight," Avery head coach Benny Wellborn said after the game. "We had bases loaded once and had runners trying to run when they shouldn't have, but that wasn't the only thing. We had some mental breakdowns all around and we have to do a better job with that."
Avery starter Seth Phillips threw 110 pitches over five innings, struck out seven hitters while surrendering only six hits. Avery has a home game scheduled on Thursday with Ashe County, but rain in the forecast may force change. The Vikings will travel to Marshall on Friday for a conference game against Madison.
