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Carter Hayes is at bat at the baseball game April 5 as Gabe Lillard lingers on third, trying to come home.
Larry Griffin
lgriffin@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Swain County High’s Maroon Devils baseball team is riding high after a 19-2 win over the Cherokee Braves – the second win against that team in two days.
The game took place on a warm afternoon with just enough cloud cover not to be overbearing – and the players made several big swings hitting the ball way out in the field.
On the bases, players inched toward running when they could, lingering as far as they could get out without the pitcher trying to strike them out.
Gabe Lillard, after circling the bases, walked leisurely back to home base from third as a hit from Carter Hayes – a slamming direct impact that sent the ball jettisoning over the field – allowed him the time.
Hayes then also circled the bases, making both second and third base in quick succession with a series of lunging dives.
Coach Mike Varano said the win was satisfactory.
“It proved we can get the bat on the ball when we need to get runs across the plate,” he said.
Varano said the Tuesday game, where the Devils beat the Braves 12-2, had been a “slow start.” But he said the team had been trying to stop worrying about “external factors” they can’t control – and at that point, things got easier.
On Wednesday, that mindset was in full force.
“If we are able to just take that approach into every game and every inning, like I have said before, we are pretty tough to beat no matter who we play. We need to take this momentum into the last part of the season and make a run to finish in the top tier of the conference where we believe we belong.”
Varano singled out Ronnie Griggs’ pitching as a secret ingredient for them – Griggs “won the battles when we needed them and we played solid defense behind him,” Varano said.
The game also saw Carter Hayes with 4-4, with a 7 RBI, and Grady Lewis got 3-2, with a RBI of 3. Reese Winchester was at 4-2, with 3 RBI.
The Devils’ next game is currently scheduled for Saturday, April 19, when they’ll play Brevard at home in a non-conference game.