MARIETTA—After a rainout prevented Pinecrest Academy and The Walker School baseball teams from playing the previous day, they decided to play an evening doubleheader on Walker’s lighted field Wednesday, March 11. In the first game, Pinecrest defeated Walker 7-2.

Both teams went scoreless through the first two innings. In the top of the third inning, Pinecrest Academy leadoff hitter and starting pitcher Sawyer Huffstetler managed to get on base after being hit by a pitch. The next two batters, shortstop Jay Sorohan and first baseman Caleb Bohn, also got on to load the bases up. A wild pitch by Walker pitcher Ryan Bitter allowed Pinecrest to score the first two runs of the game.

Pinecrest Academy center fielder Mason Carter (#7) takes a lead off of second base during the seventh inning. He would eventually score Pinecrest’s seventh and final run in the inning. Photo By Michael Alexander

Huffstetler found himself in a precarious pitching situation in the bottom of the third inning, after Walker also loaded the bases with one out and a 3-2 (three balls and two strikes) count. The Walker center fielder, Davis Hodges, hit a line drive to third baseman Matthew Mapes, who threw over to first base doubling up the runner and closing out the inning.

“I was hoping they’d hit a ground ball and somehow we could turn a double play,” said Huffstetler. “Our third baseman made a great play and he’s a freshman too.”

In the fourth inning, Pinecrest Academy right fielder Trip Hochman swung for a base hit and successfully stole second base. He scored the team’s third run of the game before Mapes was tagged out trying to squeeze out a double.

Pinecrest Academy added three more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Huffstetler and Bohn each got base hits and they were able to score after catcher Connor Ensman batted them in with a two-out double. That was followed up with a base hit by second baseman Connor Amitin, giving Ensman the opportunity to score from second base.

In the bottom of the fifth, two singles and a triple spurred a Walker rally, resulting in their first and only two runs of the game.

Senior starting pitcher Sawyer Huffstetler pitched five of the seven innings, allowing only two Walker runs to help lead Pinecrest to a 7-2 victory. He reached base three times during the game. He was hit by a pitch twice and hit a single. “As leadoff hitter, a big part of my game is getting on base any way I can,” said Huffstetler. Photo By Michael Alexander

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Pinecrest Academy made a pitching change. They moved Sorohan from shortstop to the pitching mound, where he pitched the final two innings and protected the lead. Pinecrest added its seventh and final run in the seventh inning.

In the second game of the doubleheader, Pinecrest Academy center fielder Mason Carter had four hits and four RBIs (runs batted in), but Walker prevailed 11-9. The loss put Pinecrest, which is coached by Heath Kennedy, at 4-2 for the season.

Due to COVID-19, a coronavirus, all high school sporting activities were suspended for two weeks or until further notice, effective at the end of school day, Friday March 13.