This time, New Hope High School senior Zac Nagy meant to swing.
One day after his bloop single drove in two runs against Saltillo, Nagy helped seal a 17-7 non-district win against Columbus High on Saturday afternoon with his first home run of the season.
His three-run shot to center field in the sixth inning highlighted an eight-run outburst. The following batter, Landon Boyd, ended the game by driving in the final run.
“It counts, even with the help,” Nagy said, smiling after talking about his first home run, which was aided by a mid-afternoon breeze out to center field. “It just came. It felt great.”
Kameron Bryan also hit his first home run of the season, joining Nagy as the latest players to make an impact for New Hope (17-5) entering its key district showdown Tuesday against Oxford. The Trojans are 4-2 in the district.
“They”ve hit several (home runs) in practice and I knew they had the ability to do that,” New Hope coach Lee Boyd said. “But they just hadn”t done it this year. That was some big hits, to give us some cushion.”
Sometimes, small hits can have a similar effect.
On Friday, Nagy was at bat in the sixth against Saltillo, fighting off a pitch on a full count. He swung, only to stay alive, not really in an attempt to get on base. He then watched with trepidation as the ball sailed to first base.
“I was like, ”No, that”s going to get caught, no doubt,” ” he said. “And then, it dropped … that was crazy.”
The ball sailed over the first baseman”s head, giving New Hope life and scoring two runs. Coupled with a solo home run by Jared Shelton, it was enough offense for the Trojans to win 3-2.
Tuesday, though, could prove to be an even tougher test.
New Hope is 1-1 this season against Oxford, winning in grand fashion at home — thanks to a Dillon Hawkins walk-off home run — and losing big on the road.
Boyd or Hawkins will start on the mount Tuesday, coach Boyd said. A victory would seal a postseason berth for New Hope. In reality, anything short of a meltdown to end the season would send New Hope to the playoffs.
“Hopefully we can play them hard and get a couple of runs on them,” said Bryan, one of Saturday”s heroes. His solo home run in the fourth gave New Hope a 7-6 lead it never relinquished.
Meanwhile, Columbus (11-10, 2-4) is also preparing for a Tuesday game against Class 6A, Region 2 rival Starkville that could decide its postseason fate. But on Saturday, the Falcons failed to generate momentum entering next week. Instead, their problems started where New Hope”s winning solutions began.
In the sixth, Nick Durrah lost sight of Boyd”s shot to right in the sun, as the ball hit him on the head. From there, New Hope capitalized on a collection of passed balls and wild pitches to earn an early exit before their second game of the day, which they won 5-3 against Houston.
“We kept the game close, but we didn”t make a play when it was time,” said Columbus coach Jeff Cook, whose Falcons lost 11-1 earlier this season to New Hope in similar fashion — a close game transformed into a rout in just one inning.
Aaron Cooks had a solo home run to left in the second, part of a three-run inning for the Falcons. Pitcher Chris McCullough also drove in three runs.
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