Updated 4/18 Baseball tops Raiders

By Laura Clark

Published: April 18, 2008

Nelson rallied from a four-run deficit to beat Appomattox 6-5 on Friday night. The Raiders came into the game undefeated in the Dogwood District.

In the bottom of the sixth, freshman Jordan Wooten scored when the Raiders overthrew second trying to beat a stealing M.J. Wells. Then Jared Truslow tripled to outfield, scoring Wells. Nelson came within one run when Truslow made it home on a pass ball by relief pitcher Gary Crawford.

With two outs in the seventh, Wooten singled, and Wells sent one to the center field fence to tie the game.

The Govs had brought in sophomore southpaw Eric Mays late in the fifth inning to relieve starter Ben Ponton. The Raiders (6-4, 4-1) got under Mays’ slower pitches, and the Gov defense was ready behind him.

Wooten at shortstop and catcher Andy Gordon each caught high pop flies. Chris Woods made a back-pedaling catch deep in left field for the third out.

In the eighth, Truslow led off with a single, and then advanced to second when sophomore Bryant Kidwell faked a bunt. Another pass ball by the Raiders sent Truslow to third, and Kidwell brought him home with a ground ball down the middle.

“We get a big clutch hit from Bryant Kidwell, who I think had three at-bats coming into this game…all season, and he gets the game-winning RBI,” Gov coach Scott McGarry said. “The last two Friday’s we’ve had undefeated first-place teams in the Dogwood on this field, and they’ve both gone home on long trips after a loss.”

The Govs moved to 2-2 in the Dogwood, and both the losses were by one run. Nelson did not face Appomattox ace Tim Dudley, noted for his no-hitter against Gretna on Wednesday. Josh Bradshaw started on the mound for the Raiders and had five strikeouts in 6 1/2 innings pitched.

“We were looking forward to this game. We’ve seen pitchers through the season throwing just like them,” said Truslow, who was 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run. “Every game we’ve probably left three runners on the bag, maybe more. Ducks on the pond; you’ve got to drive them in.”

The Govs were down by three after the first inning thanks to Dudley’s hitting. He had a 2 RBI double in the first. Bradshaw was 2-for-4 with one RBI in the first and two in the fifth. Truslow and Mays said they were able to come back and finish by staying focused and positive, something McGarry emphasized in Thursday’s practice.

“We always say, ‘It’s your next at bat, your next pitch, your next throw, and you leave the bad experiences behind you,” McGarry said. “If you let those plays stay in your mind and eat at you, you’re not ready the next play. You’re not ready to swing at the next good pitch.

“We’re going to enjoy this one and just keep pushing forward, and build off each success.”

Wooten was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Chris Garwood was 2-for-3 with one run scored. Mays was also 2-for-3.