Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Pike Liberal Arts Patriots began their title defense in fine fashion over the weekend when they knocked off the Hooper Colts 5-4 on Saturday afternoon in Troy.

The Patriots and Colts entered the bottom of the fifth inning tied at 4. A Skylar Kidd RBI single was the difference in the Patriot win.

Walker Stallworth, in his Patriots debut, pitched the game’s first two innings on Saturday. He allowed one run on one hit and four walks. He walked four batters, while striking out three. Press Jefcoat, also in his debut, pitched the following three innings and allowed three runs on two hits. Levi Sikes pitched an inning of scoreless baseball.

After falling behind 1-0 heading into the bottom of the first inning, the Patriots scored their first runs of the game when they totaled three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Davis Allen hit a home run to right to get the Patriots on the board. Kidd picked up his first RBI of the season on a single to right allowing Sikes to score. Jefcoat came around to score the third run of the inning on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 3-1.

After the Colts pulled to within one in the third, the Patriots got the run back with a run in the fourth inning. Javon Christian singled on a line drive to left that allowed KC Bradford to score the Patriots’ fourth run and bringing the score to 4-2.

The Colts tied the game at four on a two-run single to right.

Stallworth began the threat in the fifth inning when he reached base after he was hit by a pitch with one out in the inning. After reaching third on error, Stallworth came around to score what would be the winning run with Kidd’s single.

Kidd finished the game with two hits and two runs batted in. Jayden Jordan, Christian and Allen all had one hit for the Patriots.

The Patriots will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to take on Lee-Scott.