in must-win Area game

By STEVEN G. WATSON

Sports Editor

It was do or die time for the Pike County Bulldogs.

After two losses to start Area play, the Bulldogs couldn’t afford a third or they could just about hang the cleats up on the playoffs. PCHS rallied, however, after a 3-0 shutout to Area foe Geneva on Tuesday and pounded Daleville 13-9 in a totally offensive affair.

"That third loss would have really made it tough on us," PCHS head coach Fred Holland said. "I just think the guys answered the call."

One of the leaders answering the call was Jonathan Tillery. The senior roared from home plate with a 3-for-5 showing, belted two home runs and drove in six RBI’s. When the Bulldogs needed some offense, Tillery made it readily available Thursday.

"We made way to many errors in the first two innings and it kind of got my pumped up a little bit," Tillery said. "We were all really disappointed after that Geneva game and wanted to come back today and get a big win. A loss would’ve put us in a difficult situation. Any way you look at it this was a big win."

"Jonathan is one of our senior leaders and I’m extremely pleased with his performance," Holland said. "No matter what you say to him or how hard you get on to him he always responds."

It was Joshua Price who answered the call first for PCHS. His 2-run homer over the left-field fence with two outs got things going in the first and put the Bulldogs up 2-1.

The Warhawks would tie things up in their half of the inning, then DHS showed a little power as Jonathan Ergle stroked a three-run blast to straight away center giving the Bulldogs a 5-2 deficit to overcome.

Tillery made up most of the three runs with his first round-tripper of the day, jacking one to left center, but Pike County couldn’t take advantage with the bases loaded and stayed a run behind.

The Bulldogs went up by two on Tillery’s next delivery out of the park as he bounced one off the top of the fence with two on for the three-run dinger. Taking a two-run lead, PCHS never trailed again.

DHS put one more on the board in the fifth, then Pike County went nuts in their next at bat sending 10 batters to the plate and notching six runs, all but one while facing two outs.

"That was really the turning point in the game," Holland said. "We got five runs with two outs and really got two of them on that strikeout."

After a swinging strike three that got away from the catcher, Elijah Daniels was hit by the throw down to first eventually scoring two more Bulldog runs. Those two were enough to kill the Warhawks.

Daleville loaded the bases in both the sixth and final inning, but with some tough defense and some relief pitching by Brian Kilpatrick coming in for Michael Lowery, the Bulldogs held on to improve to 1-2 in Area play.

Behind the power hitting of Tillery, the Bulldogs got a total of 13 hits with five players having a multiple hit game and six extra-base hits.

Chris Nickson paced Tillery with a 3-for-5 showing while Joshua Price had a double to go with his homer and three RBI’s. Robby Price had a double and a single, Kilpatrick had a couple of singles and Lowery and Daniels both had doubles. Dee Price and Sam Diggs also had base knocks in the game.

Next up for Pike County is a trip to Highland Home today with the first pitch coming at 3:30 p.m.