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Goodbye!!! Rebel Parker
Jones drills a towering game-winning
three-run homer over the left field fence.
MCKENZIE (April 24) With one out in the
bottom of the seventh and trailing the
Dresden Lions 8-7, McKenzie batter Parker
Jones thrilled the Rebel faithful by
blasting a mammoth three-run homer over the
left field fence to seal his team’s
emotional come-from-behind 10-8 victory.
Following a scoreless first inning, the
Dresden Lions’ offense got on track in the
top of the second as Lion’s Dwayne Bailey
and Matt Chappell singled. Following Lion
pitcher Roe Hugh’s ground out to second,
Chris Peeler smacked a RBI single to right
to score Bailey. Lion Daniel Harris reached
first safely on a fielder’s choice after
Rebel third baseman Rusty Chapman’s throw to
first was wide of the mark, allowing Lion
Chappell to score and give Dresden an 2-0
lead.
Dresden batter Greg Alderice kept the
momentum going for Dresden by ripping a
two-run RBI double to right field to score
Peeler. Lion Justin Hatler followed with an
RBI single to center that scored Harris and
increased Dresden’s lead to 4-0.
Following a timeout, McKenzie pitcher Tyler
Holt was replaced on the mound by Parker
Jones.
Parker Jones is all smiles as he is greeted
at home plate by Rebel players after his
game-winning three run shot.
Resuming play in the top of the second,
Dresden batter Matt Bailey singled to right
to score Hatler. Lion batter Eric Evans flew
out to center as Dresden took a 5-0 lead.
In the bottom of the second, McKenzie batter
Holt led off with a single to center and
advanced to third via Jones’ double to
center. Rebel Tyler Reeder followed with a
sacrifice ground out to second that scored
Holt. Rebel Clint Kee hit a sacrifice fly to
center to score substitute runner Mark
Newman and narrow the Lion lead to 5-2. Kyle
Kirk ripped a line drive that was caught by
the Lion third baseman to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Dresden went
three-up, three-down as Lion Dwayne Bailey
flew out to right and Chappell and Hugh
struck out.
In the bottom of the third, Rebel Drew Brown
led off with a single to left. Chapman
ripped a two hopper to second and beat the
throw to first to put runners on first and
second. Derek Carr drilled a one-hopper
through the gap at second, scoring Brown.
Chappell followed by hitting a sharp
grounder that was fielded by the Lion
shortstop and thrown to the second baseman
to force Carr out at second. Holt hit a
grounder to short that was thrown to second
to force out Chappell. The Lion second
baseman turned and fired the ball to first
to complete the double play as McKenzie
narrowed the Lion lead to 5-3.
In the top of the fourth, Lion Peeler flew
out to right and Harris struck out swinging.
Alderice flew out to short to end the Lion
at-bat.
In the bottom of the fourth, Rebel Jones led
off with a triple to center and was replaced
by substitute runner Newman. Reeder flew out
to second. During Clint Kee’s at-bat, Newman
was trapped in a rundown and thrown out at
third for the second out. Kee followed by
grounding out to second to end the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Lion Hatler led off
with a double down the third base line.
Stepping to the plate, Dresden’s Matt Bailey
drilled a monstrous two-run shot over the
right field fence to increase the Lion lead
to 7-3. Lion catcher Eric Evans followed by
blasting a solo homer over the left
centerfield wall. Jones responded by
striking out Bailey and Chappell and forcing
Hugh to fly out to right.
McKenzie went three-up, three-down in the
bottom of the fifth as Kirk ground out to
the pitcher, Brown ground out to short and
Chapman ground out to short.
Dresden failed to score in the top of the
sixth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Rebel Carr led
off with a single through the gap at sort,
Rebel designated hitter Chappel drilled a
RBI double to score Carr. Following Holt’s
ground out to third, Rebel Jones smashed a
two-run homer over the left field fence to
narrow the Lion lead to 8-6. Calling
timeout, Dresden changed pitchers as catcher
Evans took to the mound to replace Hugh.
Evans walked Reeder and Kee reached first
and advanced Reeder to third after the Lion
third baseman bobbled Kee’s three-hopper.
Kirk flew out to second and Brown struck out
as McKenzie stranded two runners but cut
Dresden’s lead to 8-6.
In the top of the seventh, Lion Matt Bailey
led off with a single to right. Evans struck
out swinging and Dwayne Bailey walked,
placing runners on first and second.
Chappell hit a hard grounder to Rebel second
baseman Carr who turned and fired the ball
to third to force out Matt Bailey. Roe Hugh
struck out swinging as Dresden stranded two
base runners.
Down 8-6 with their final at-bat of the
game, McKenzie batter Tyler Rhodes battled
but struck out for the first out. Carr was
hit by a pitch and advanced to first.
Chappell followed by ripping a single
through the gap at short to advance Carr to
third. Carr scored on the ensuing at-bat as
Rebel Holt smacked a fierce grounder that
took a bad hop and struck Lion shortstop
Alderice in the mouth, injuring the player
and halting the game.
Alderice received a heartfelt ovation by
fans of both squads minutes later upon
resuming his position at short.
Trailing 8-7 with one out and Rebel base
runner Holt on first, McKenzie’s Jones
stepped stoically to the plate. Swinging
hard at the first pitch, Jones drilled a
towering two-run shot deep into the trees
beyond the left field wall to earn McKenzie
a hard-fought 10-8 come-from-behind victory
over Dresden. |
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