MADISON — It came down to the end, but Germantown got a key region win at home.
Brooks Hardy delivered a walk-off, two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift Germantown over Starkville 5-4 in a key Region 2-7A matchup on Friday night.
“I told Brooks if the first two guys got on you were going to win it,” said Germantown coach Chris Peden. “Got the two lead off guys on, got the bunt down to get them over, and got the big hit. We’ve been in one-run ball games all year, and we’ve won some and lost some, and every game has been like that.”
Germantown scored first in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead as Bryce Johnson scored on a sacrifice fly.
The score stayed the same until the top of the fourth when Starkville took a 2-1 lead on back-to-back walks with the bases loaded by Cooper Anthony and B.J. Hendrix.
The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 4-1 in the fifth on a Tyson Knox RBI double to right center and a Torian Knox RBI single.
Germantown cut the Starkville lead down to 4-3 in the bottom half of the inning as Jackson Avalon scored on a wild pitch and Ashton Smith had an RBI groundout.
Starkville had a chance to extend their lead in the sixth as the Yellow Jackets had the bases loaded with no outs, but Germantown pitcher Ashby Rayburn got a strikeout and a pair of pop ups to end the inning.
Rayburn got the win on the mound in relief for Germantown (12-7, 2-2 Region 2-7A).
“That was the ball game. If they score another run then we don’t have an easier chance to win,” Peden said. “Our pitching did fine all night, but just so proud of the guys. We’re young, so every win we get is an experience and we’re getting better. This district is so tough, and you cannot afford to get swept.”
Tyson Knox had three hits to lead Starkville. Will Ackers took the loss on the mound for the Yellow Jackets (10-7, 2-2).
“We talk about extending the lead all the time and not doing that when you have the opportunity to do that will bite you in the end and that happened,” said Starkville coach Mark Monaghan. “Germantown is a tough team, and they had their backs against the wall, but we were right there and in the gauntlet district that we’re in every Tuesday and Friday night you have to be ready.”
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
