March on! Hough beats Hopewell to win league championship, readies for playoff push
Thursday night, in the Queen City conference baseball championship, one of Hough HIgh’s youngest players delivered one of the team’s biggest wins this season.
Freshman pitcher Tyler Baird got the game-winning RBI in the fifth inning and then closed a 5-4 come-frome-behind win over Hopewell on the mount.
The highly anticipated matchup between the two conference juggernauts didn’t fall short of expectations. This conference championship game was a treat, as this game was close throughout, just like two regular-season games the teams split.
Hough, which beat North Meck 18-1 in its semifinals, got off to a quick start. Senior outfielder Luke Holland, who went 2-4 for the night, smacked a 3-run homer in the first inning.
But Hopewell quickly respond.
Back-to-back doubles in the second, including a RBI two-base hit from sophomore Cal Sigler got Hopewell back into the game, although Huskies starter Max White did get two outs to end an inning which could’ve been more fruitful for Hopewell.
But the Titans kept coming. In the fourth inning, a sac fly from freshman Tyler Rowe scored junior Jordan Brooks and Hopewell was down 3-2. Hopewell then got a two-run blast from Seth Christmas to get the lead.
Now, it was Hough’s turn to rally.
With the Huskies down in the fifth inning, senior Jake Gorman hit a double and was followed by a single from Luke Holland. Next, with two runners on base, junior Tad Hudson hit an RBI-sac fly to tie the game at 4.
That set up Baird’s big hit, and after that, the freshman showed tremendous command on the mound, closing the game to win the conference championship.
PHOTOS: Hough vs. Hopewell
