Published: April 30, 2008 03:35 pm            

Raiders rough up Rowan County, 9-1

MOREHEAD - The East Carter Raiders traveled to Rowan County on April 22 and returned to Grayson with the convincing 9-1 win.

“This was a good confidence building win at this stage of the season,” Raider senior Eddie Seagraves said afte the win. “We got to swing the bats and we needed the batting practice.”

Head Coach Jeremiah Shearer’s Raiders did as damage from the basepaths as they did the batter’s box. East hitters boarded the bases on a half-dozen walks and five came on around to score.

Freshman pitcher Tyler Clay got the complete-game win from the mound allowing just one Rowan County hit.

After the game, Eddie Seagraves was pleased with the win. “We played solid as a team,” he told The Journal Times. “Tyler threw strikes and we swung the bats well with a solid defense. It was a good team effort.”

Although the Raiders’ first at bat was met with Tyler Jackson grounding out, Derek Stapleton managed a single before being caught stealing second. Dylan McDavid ground out to close.

The Raider defense caught two Viking grounders and a pop out to end the first.

Crestin Salyers led off the second with a single which was mirrored by Eddie Seagraves. Craig Brammer walked to load the bases before an East Carter strikeout. Tommy Carper’s suicide squeeze brought Salyers in and kept the bases loaded for Jackson’s double and two RBI’s and the 3-zip Raider lead. Stapelton hit into a fielder’s choice to the short stop for the second out, but brought in another run.

The East Carter defense made it 3-up, 3-down in the last half of the second.

To top the third Salyers hit a line drive to third for an out and Eddie Seagraves’ fly to center field earned the team a single. Craig Brammer hit a line drive to Skyler Adams on third, who fired back to first for the double play.

An error at the bottom of the third and another Viking single almost tripped up the Raider defense, but Stapleton caught a line drive, which he flipped to first for an inning ending double play.

In the top of the fourth, Nate Carroll popped down the third base line for a single and stole second before Back’s double ripped the 1/1 pitch back through the mound, bringing Carroll to the plate. Jackson walked, but another strikeout and a ground out from McDavid brought the Vikings back to the plate.

Although the Vikings managed three hits in the bottom of the fourth, the Raiders kept the hosts off the scoreboard.

The Raider offense tallied two more scores in the sixth and held the Vikings through the seventh inning for a final 9-1 score.

Jackson said the offense did well and the defense worked well together. “That’s all you have to do to play good baseball. Catch the ball, throw the ball, and hit the ball.”

        

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