Jags ground Falcons, 7-1
With the threat of rain on Tuesday, the Jags and the Falcons met a day early at Central. After being tied after five innings, the Jags picked up two runs in the top of the sixth and added another four in the seventh to claim a 7-1 area win.
After a quiet first inning for both teams, Jack Sanderson led off the second with a single to center. Four pitches into Thomas Woolf’s first at-bat, Sanderson stole second and headed to third on Woolf’s sacrifice grounder to second. After a fly out to center, Sanderson scored the Jags’ first run on a wild pitch. Northridge couldn’t get things restarted and settled for a 1-0 lead.
The Falcons got tied the game up in the bottom of the third on a three singles. That would begin a two inning scoring drought for both teams.
The Jags came back to life to score two runs in the top of the sixth. Sanderson led off with a walk and Woolf reached on a bunt, which included Sanderson advancing to second. After giving up two outs, Evan Malone singled to center to score Woolf and Anthony Messina, who had reached earlier on a fielder’s choice. Northridge held Central off the scoreboard and took a 3-1 lead into the top of the seventh.
The scoreboard was busy in the seventh for the Jags. Mayson Elam led off with a walk and claimed second on a passed ball. After a fly ball out to center, Milo Obradovich doubled to center to plate Elam. Sanderson followed with a single to right, scoring Obradovich. Woolf followed with a double to left, allowing Sanderson to cross the plate. Woolf advanced to third and held there when Logan Caldwell drew a walk, to put runners at the corners. Messina deposited a single into left field and Woolf added the Jags’ final run of the game. Two outs followed that run and the Jags held the Falcons off the board in their last at-bat, finalizing the 7-1 win.
Sanderson went 2-for-2 on the evening, with Malone also picking up two hits. Cade Senn, Obradovich, Woolf and Messina collected one hit each. Sanderson and Woolf scored two runs each and Elam, Obradovich and Messina scored once each. Malone led the Jags with two RBIs and Obradovich, Sanderson, Woolf and Messina tallied one RBI each.
Caldwell completed four innings on the hill, striking out three while giving up five hits, one walk and a single run. Messina contributed three innings to the cause, striking out four, walking one and giving up only one hit.