Thunder Hold Off Winston

  
     It was a scorcher of a day on Sunday in Acworth as the Thunder hoped to play three games and win the Lake City Classic. Thunder parents and fans found a little relief under pop-up tents that  At 2:23, with a temperature of 88˚, JJ threw the first pitch against Winston and the game began with a double by the leadoff hitter. Before you could blink Winston had pushed across a 3 runs and loaded the bases. A walk and a fielding error allowed the visitors to score their 4th and 5th runs and the mercy rule was thankfully observed, with no outs recorded by the Thunder.  In the bottom of the first, the boys from DHYS got things going in a hurry. With one out Noah Hammond hit a ball in just the right place and hustled out an infield single.  Jack Sprat followed with a double to right and Max crushed a single scoring Noah and Jack and took second on the throw.  Ryan continued the hit parade and drove in Max with a single to make the score 5-3.  After Ben walked the bases were juiced. Connor and Gaines picked up RBI's with walks and we were back to even at 5-5.
     After one batter in the second, Coach Phil made a pitching change and brought in Mashman.  The Thunder had a hard time fielding and throwing and Winston was able to tack on 4 runs to take a 9-5 lead. In the last of the second, Kenny led off with a double. Noah hit a soft flare to shallow right, but was caught off base and thrown out.  Jack popped out and Max reached on an error and their were runners on the corners. Ryan smashed a ball that the shortstop could not handle and two runs scored. The Thunder had pulled within 2.
     The third was a good inning for the Thunder. Connor stayed on the mound and got the first batter to offer at the first pitch and the ball went straight to Jack at short. One out. A few pitches later, Max made a nice play at third and two were down.  After a single, Connor got the next batter to hit a tapper to the second sacker Gaines Moore, who made a perfect throw to first for the third out.  Ben started the bottom of the inning with a walk. Connor then hit a ball to the shortstop, who tossed to second to get the lead runner, but they could not get Connor, hustling down the line to first.  Gaines hit a bunt single that would have made Coach Ron proud, advancing the runner all the way to third. The catcher dropped the ball on the 3rd strike to Kenny and was unable to get the ball to first. Mashman scored and it was 9-8.  The pitcher balked, moving Gaines to third and Noah drove him in with a single to tie the score at 9. Jack finished off the hitting with a single, scoring Noah and the Thunder took the lead for the first time in the game.
     In the fourth, Connor got two quick outs, but then walked the next two batters. Jack Purdy came on in relief and got the Winston batter to fly out to Ben in left.  Ryan and Mercer started the Thunder fourth with consecutive singles. Mercer was erased on a fielders choice hit by JJ followed by the shortstop making a nice play up the middle to rob Ben of a hit. Connor, pinch-hitter James Huey, Kenny and Noah followed with consecutive hits and the Thunder won it 14-9.  Once again the Thunder had come back from a 5-0 deficit to beat Winston.  Next up was a game against the Hobgood Heat from Woodstock at 5:45.  There was just enough time for the team to head to Moe's to get refueled and get out of the swelter.

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	R	H	E	L
Winston	5	4	0	0			9	4	6	6
DHYS Thunder	5	2	3	4			14	16	7	9