Trojans celebrate comeback after Tyson Eley's game ending bloop single.
Photo courtesy of Tim Gayle and the Montgomery Independent
Tyson Eley's one out bloop single over a drawn in infield completed a frenzied Saint James comeback after a rather lethargic offense start as Saint James won its eighth consecutive game, and its 16th straight game over Holtville (who last won in this continuing series in 1995) with a walk off 5 - 4 victory over the Bulldogs.
Holtville scored three quick runs off starter Clint Shores. After two quick outs, Tanner Potts walked and Randy Davis doubled him to third. Mikey Forney and Cooper Mann each drove in a run with a single, and the third run scored on a fielders choice before the out was made.
Saint James threatened in the first as the first two batters were hit by pitches, but a line drive to the pitcher became an easy double play.
The Bulldogs added a run in the fourth to boost the lead to 4 - 0. Garrett Ingram doubled and eventually scored on a run down play.
Reed Ingram came in and pitched three solid innings of one hit no run ball to eventually garner the win, holding down the potent Bulldog offense.
The Trojans "avoided the shutout" with a single run in the bottom of the sixth. Ethan Beard singled and scored on a Carson Howard double. Holtville brought in their closer Braxton Potts to shut down Saint James in the sixth, but he had no such luck in the seventh.
Down 4 - 1, Shores led off with a single. After a strike out, Jeffrey Ford followed up with a beautiful bunt single and each runner advanced one base after an errant throw. Beard drove in both runs with a hard single to cut the lead to 4 - 3. Mid-game replacement Kevin Taylor followed with a single, and both runners moved up two bases on wild pitches, tying the score at 4. Both Carson Howard and K.J. Jackson were intentionally walked to load the bases. Eley attempted a first pitch squeeze bunt to end the game but the spinning ball rolled just foul. On the next pitch, Eley blooped his hit over a drawn in infield for the unexpected yet thrilling come-from-behind victory.