By David Rogers. GREENSBORO, N.C. — What started out as a 7-inning, 1-1 pitchers duel morphed into an extra innings nailbiter on May 8. Watauga manufactured four runs in the 13th inning and throttled Southeast Guilford’s bats with three Pioneer pitchers combining to allow just one run on six hits, striking out 14 Falcons and walking just five.
In the top of the pivotal 13th inning, Pioneer catcher Chase Gillin led off with a single and shortstop Evan Burroughs followed up with another, beating out a well-placed bunt back to the pitcher. Rightfielder J.J. Everett moved the runners to second and third on a sacrificing ground out. The Falcons opted for an intentional walk to the hot-hitting Pioneer centerfielder, Jake Blanton, to load the bases, perhaps looking to execute a double play and minimize any damage.
If so, it didn’t work out that way. Bryce Scheffler, who turned out to be the winning Pioneer pitcher, drew a walk to bring in a run, the Eli Bishop doubled to left, scoring Burroughs and Blanton, with Scheffler taking third, with still only one out. Given that Scheffler was slated to take the mound to pitch the bottom half of the 13th, Miller Hankins was inserted as a courtesy runner for Scheffler on third. Hankins rushed home for the Pioneers’ fifth and final run of the night when leftfielder Everett Gryder lofted what became a sacrifice fly to left for the second out.
But for the host Falcons, their fate was sealed at the hands and arm of Scheffler. The big Pioneer sophomore righthander deftly fielded a leadoff ground ball off the bat of SE Guilford’s Jeffrey Harris for the first out. The Falcons’ senior catcher Aiden Simmons tried to get things going when he rapped a worm burner to the hole at shortstop. Evan Burroughs retrieved it, but the difficult throw to first sailed pas first baseman Kwame Carter, allowing Simmons to take second base, too. But with two consecutive fly balls right field and corralled by the Pioneers’ J.J. Everett, Scheffler & Co. had secured the win for Watauga.
Not enough can be said about the pitching performances of Watauga starter Daniel Jones and shortstop-turned-reliever Evan Burroughs. Jones proved a stalwart, going 7.2 innings, allowing one run in the bottom of the 5th inning. He was touched up for just four hits by the Falcons, hurling 108 pitches, striking out six Falcons and walking just one.
Burroughs came on to get the final batter in the 7th, completing four innings before giving way to Scheffler. He allowed just one hit and no runs while striking out seven batters and walking four.
With the win, Watauga advances to Round 3, where they will face the winner of No. 1 seeded Alexander Central (Taylorsville) and No. 16 seed Scotland (Laurinburg), for which the scores have not yet been reported.
Key Watauga Performers
Pitching
- Daniel Jones: 7.2 innings, 108 pitches, 1 run, 4 hits, 6 strikeouts, 1 walk
- Evan Burroughs: 4 innings, 69 pitches, no runs, 1 hit, 7 strikeouts, 4 walks
- Bryce Scheffler: 1.1 innings, 16 pitches (13 of which were strikes), no runs, 1 hit, 1 strikeout, no walks
Batting
- Eli Bishop: 3-6, 2 RBIs, 1 walk, 2 doubles
- Kwame Carter: 2-6, triple, hit by pitch
- Chase Gillin: 2-5, double
- Jake Blanton: 2-6, 1 run scored, 1 walk
- Everett Gryder: 0-6, 1 RBI, 1 sacrifice fly
- J.J. Everett:0-3, 4 walks
- Evan Burroughs:2-5, 1 run scored, 2 walks, 1 stolen base
- Miller Hankins: 0-0, 1 run scored
- Merrix Oakes: 0-0, 1 run scored
- Bryce Scheffler: 0-0, 1 RBI, 1 walk
- Daniel Jones: 1-6
Also in the upper half of the 6A West state playoffs bracket:
- No. 1 Alexander Central vs. No. 16 Scotland — not yet reported
- No. 5 Asheville def. No. 12 Ragsdale, 15-5
- No. 4 St. Stephens def. No. 13 Kings Mountain, 5-1
In the lower half of the bracket:
- No. 3 T.C. Roberson def. No. 14 Northern Guilford, 6-0
- No. 6 South Caldwell vs. No. 11 Central Cabarrus — not yet reported
- No. 7 A.C. Reynolds vs. No. 23 Piedmont — not yet reported
- No. 2 Charlotte Catholic def. No. 15 Sun Valley, 3-1
