PH Rebels dim George Wythe’s hopes of a first place finish with 7-6 upset

By JIM CUNNINGHAM/Staff

The Patrick Henry Rebels started out strong and held off George Wythe to defeat the Maroons 7-6 in a Hogoheegee District baseball game played Friday afternoon at GWHS.
The loss dealt a blow to George Wythe’s hopes of winning the district title. The Maroons fell to 5-2 in the district and 7-7 overall. Patrick Henry improved to 5-4 in the district and 10-8 overall.
Chilhowie is currently in first place in the district at 6-1. George Wythe is scheduled to play at Chilhowie today.
George Wythe Coach Jason Luttrell said his team now has to win its remaining district games and defeat Chilhowie in order to tie for first place and force a playoff game for the district title.
Luttrell wasn’t disappointed with his team’s effort. “I thought we hit the ball exceptionally well today,” he said. But he said the four runs that PH scored in the first inning was difficult to overcome.
The Maroons outhit the Rebels 9-7 in the game. GW was led at the plate by Devin Smith who was 3-for-4 and Kelly Kline who was 2-for-4 with a triple.
Patrick Henry was led by Marcus Montgomery and Seth Harding with two hits apiece.
The game started about a half hour past its scheduled 5 p.m. start due to the Patrick Henry bus breaking down on its way to GWHS. The parents of the players ended up bringing the players to the game.
It didn’t seem to affect PH adversely as the Rebels put together four hits, a walk and an error to score four runs off GW starting pitcher Brett Grimes. Caleb Frye led off with a walk (he walked in all four of his plate appearance) and Cody Foglesong, Harding, Ronnie Groves and Montgomery all got hits.
GW got a nice defensive effort from shortstop Kelly Kline (who usually plays center field) who made a diving catch of a blooper headed into short center field to prevent any more damage.
Kline then led off the home half of the first by slamming a triple down the left field line. He later scored GW’s first run on a ground out. Smith singled later in the inning but was erased on a double play.
Frye led off the second with his second consecutive walk, went to second on a ball back to the screen, and later scored on a ground out to put PH up 5-1.
The Maroons answered in their half of the second after Jared Mosier reached on an error and later went to third on a wild pitch. He scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Jonathan Quick.
Devin Smith took over the mound duties for GW in the top of the third. He gave up a lead-off walk to Will Copenhaver who later scored on a single by Montgomery.
GW answered with two runs in its half of the third. Vernon Holland lined a single to center. With one out, Robert Yonce walked and Smith and Josh Stephens followed with singles to drive in two and cut the PH lead to 6-4.
Neither team threatened in the fourth inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Yonce led off with a walk and Smith followed with a single. George Wythe later tied the game at 6-6 with two runs scoring on separate errors. Shane Puckett replaced Will Copenhaver on the mound for Patrick Henry with no outs in the fifth.
Smith struck out three Rebels in the sixth, but they scored the go-ahead run on an error, a walk and an RBI single by Groves.
Puckett allowed only one hit (by Kline) over the last two innings to get the win.
George Wythe is scheduled to travel to Chilhowie today and returns home on Wednesday against Northwood.

Patrick Henry 411 001 0 – 7 7 4
George Wythe 112 020 0 – 6 9 3
Copenhaver, Puckett (5) and Montgomery. Grimes, Smith (3) and Smith, Holland (3). W—Puckett. L—Smith.
(T – 2:10)