Huskies Beat North Wilkes to Earn a Conference Win

By Joel Frady

Rams shut out Ashe County
When the Ashe County Huskies' varsity baseball team hosted the Starmount Rams on Tuesday, March 24,

nothing fell in the Huskies' favor. Ashe County managed only one hit while allowing eight runs in the top of the fifth in the 12-0 loss that was called after five innings.

When Ashe County traveled to Boonville for the rematch on Tuesday, April 21, they played a better game - Starmount only led 2-0 after five innings before scoring six runs in the sixth inning to seal the 8-0 victory.

Much like the first contest, Starmount got a big boost from pitcher Tyler Jackson. Jackson, who struck out 11 batters in the first game, struck out another 14 in Boonville and only gave up two hits.

The loss dropped the Huskies to 0-10 in the Mountain Valley Conference with two games remaining.

Blackhawks sweep Huskies
Ashe County returned to West Jefferson for a two-night homestand on Thursday, April 23, hosting a non-conference match against the West Wilkes Blackhawks. The two teams previously met on Wednesday, April 1, when the Blackhawks scored two in the fourth and three in the sixth to earn a hard-fought 7-1 win.

Although the Huskies had generally shown improvement when facing an opponent for the second time, Thursday night's game was an exception. The Blackhawks scored early and often, generating 13 runs and 16 hits, to claim the 13-2 victory.

The match began evenly, as neither team scored in the first inning. West Wilkes took the lead with a run in the second and added another three in the third.

Ashe County scored in the bottom of the fourth to cut the Blackhawks' lead to 4-1, but West Wilkes responded with two in the fifth. The Huskies were never able to come within four runs before West Wilkes scored six runs in the seventh.

Huskies top Vikings 9-6
After a season of heartbreak in the Mountain Valley Conference, the Huskies finally broke into the win category on Friday, April 24, when they hosted the North Wilkes Vikings. The Huskies had almost pulled off an improbable comeback when the teams met in Hays on April 6, scoring four runs in the seventh after trailing 8-3.

The Huskies didn't wait until the seventh inning of Friday's game to mount a comeback, instead taking the lead in the bottom of the first and never letting go.

The game didn't start out well, however, as the Vikings scored two runs in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. But the Huskies responded quickly, and a two-run shot from senior Andrew Sexton helped Ashe County score three in the bottom of the inning for a one run advantage.

Ashe County pitcher Daniel Waln went on a roll in the second and third innings, retiring six consecutive batters after giving up a double to start the second. Waln hit a double of his own in the bottom of the second and scored on a single by Kyle Guyton, who later scored on a bases-loaded walk to give the Huskies a 5-2 lead.

Waln almost got out of the fourth inning without allowing a run, but a fielding error with two outs and the bases loaded led to a Viking score.

Once again, however, the Huskies responded. Junior Cory Roten hit a double to open the fourth for Ashe County, then advanced to third on an error. Guyton walked (and was replaced by senior Tavin Holman as a pinch runner) before Sexton hit a single that scored both base runners and put the Huskies up 7-3.

The Vikings got busy in the fifth and sixth, however, scoring one in the fifth and two in the sixth to cut Ashe County's lead to one. But the Huskies had a response for North Wilkes yet again.

Senior Evan Gray singled up the middle with one out, then advanced to second base on a pitching error before he stole third. Senior Tatum Lemly walked with two outs and stole second base to set up junior Aaron Scott's two-run single.

Gray, the closing pitcher, retired three straight batters in the seventh to seal the Huskies' first conference victory of the season.

"This win feels really good," said Ashe County Head Coach Ronnie Pruitt, who added that his team "hadn't quit all season.

"They got out there and they won," he continued, noting that Sexton's two-run homer in the first and Scott's two-run single in the sixth were "probably the biggest hits."

After the game, he said he told the team to "take this win and use it for momentum" going into the Mountain Valley Conference tournament.

With the victory, the Huskies improved to 1-10 in the conference and 5-12 overall. They played a non-conference match-up on Wednesday, April 29, at Alleghany High School in Sparta, but the result from that game was not available at press time. They will wrap up their regular season schedule on Thursday, April 30, with a home game against the Forbush Falcons.

To find out more about the Ashe County High School baseball program, call (336) 846-2400 or click to www.ashe.k12.nc.us/achs/web/home/index.htm.