Jags Baseball opens with 17-3 road win
Northridge baseball traveled to New Hope, MS on Thursday to open the 2024 season against the Trojans. The Jags used 12 hits to score 17 runs and gave up only single runs in three innings for the five-inning, 17-3 opening day victory. Anthony Messina collected three hits and drove in three runs to kick off his senior season. Six Jags scored twice in the game and every Jag who made it into the lineup scored at least one run.
Milo Obradovich picked up the Jags’ first hit of the season in the top of the first. Aiden Avery, who came in for Obradovich, would later score on a single by Evan Malone. The Trojans matched the Jags by scoring one run in the bottom of the first, resulting in the 1-1 tie.
In the top of the third, the Jags exploded for nine runs. Obradovich came to the plate to lead off the inning and was promptly hit by pitch. Malone walked, advancing Obradovich to second. A wild pitch sent Obradovich to third and Malone to second, then Thomas Woolf loaded the bases when he reached on a walk. Logan Caldwell singled to left, scoring Obradovich and Malone, and advancing Woolf to second. Kyle Nunnaly then walked, advancing Woolf and Caldwell one base.
Still in the third, a bases loaded walk to Cade Senn plated Woolf. Caldwell scored on a subsequent wild pitch, with Nunnally and Senn advancing. Ford Cole followed with a double, scoring Nunnally and Senn. Next up, Mayson Elam singled, with Cole advancing to third on the play. Elam stole second on a failed double pickoff attempt. Messina doubled to left, plating Cole and Elam for the last runs of the inning for the Jags. The Trojans answered with one run in the bottom of the third, resulting in the 10-2 lead for the Jags.
The Jags went down in order and failed to score in the fourth. But, the Trojans did pick up their final run of the game, closing the score to 10-3.
Northridge revived their bats in the fourth inning, scoring seven more runs. Elam led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a single from Messina, whole quickly stole second. Malone was the next batter to get a hit, a single which plated Elam and advanced Messina to third. After Malone stole second, Burns Brumfeld loaded the bases after drawing a walk. Messina scored Northridge’s 12th run after Caldwell was hit by a pitch, which also advanced Malone and Brumfield one base.
Malone scored on a wild pitch and Brumfield and Caldwell advanced. Nunnally picked up a walk to load the bases again for the Jags. A pitching change was made for the Trojans and Brumsfield eventually scored on a wild pitch. Caldwell and Nunnally advanced, as well. Senn sacrificed to center, scoring Caldwell, with Nunnally holding at second. An error put the next batter, Cole, at first and advanced Nunnally to third. Elam drew a walk, advancing Cole to second. Messina then doubled to center, scoring Nunnally and Cole. A walk and a fly ball to center ended the scoring for the Jags who were leading 17-3.
The Trojans were unable to score in the bottom of the fifth and the Jags walked away with the 17-3 win.
Messina led the Jags at the plate, going 3-for-5, including two doubles. Elam and Malone collected two hits each. Obradovich, Woolf, Caldwell, Nunnally and Cole collected one hit each, with Cole’s being a double. Elam, Messina, Malone, Caldwell, Nunnally and Cole scored two runs each. Obradovich, Woolf, Brumfield and Senn scored one run each. Messina ended with four RBIs. Caldwell followed with three RBIs. Malone, Senn and Cole tallied two RBIs each. Woolf added one RBI.
Elam was credited with two stolen bases. Messina, Malone, Nunnally and Obradovich are in the book with one stolen base each. The Jags drew 11 walks for the game, with Elam, Woolf and Nunnally drawing two walks each.
Woolf got the win on the mound. Even without earning a strikeout over three innings of work, Woolf held the Trojans to one hit and one earned run. Brumfield completed two inning of relief, picking up five strikeouts.
The Jags will travel to McCalla on Friday afternoon to take on the McAdory Yellow Jackets.